A Systematic Review of the Association between Emotions and Eating Behaviour in Normal and Overweight Adult Populations

Abstract

A systematic review was completed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search of four electronic databases (2004-2015) yielded 60017 articles, of which 29 met inclusion criteria. Included studies performed poorly on data quality analysis in terms of randomization and controlling for confounding factors. Participant’s BMI scores range from 19.73 (SD = 1.54) to 28.4 (SD = 1.4) kg/m2. Where positive and negative affect were compared, food was more likely to be consumed in response to positive affect. With regards to discrete emotions; stress, depression, and sadness consistently elicited eating behaviours that fall outside of nutritional recommendations (e.g., increased food intake, poor nutritional food choices). The role of moderators including individual differences in dietary restraint and emotional eating, as well as methodological considerations, such as means of eliciting and measuring emotions, may account for equivocality with regards to some emotion and eating associations. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research and implications for practice.