Why Does Stress Make Us Keep Munching?

Many people unconsciously use food as an escape when facing stress, anxiety, or life pressures. This habit is known as emotional eating, a form of eating behaviour triggered by emotions rather than hunger. Nutrition expert from IPB University Reisi Nurdiani says that eating activity is closely linked to a person’s psychological state. According to her, emotional eating is one form of eating behaviour that refers to a tendency to consume food because of emotional control, not hunger. ‘The triggers are not always negative emotions. Feeling happy can also push someone to eat as a form of celebration. However, the problem arises when this habit occurs too often and becomes the main mechanism to relieve stress,’ she said in a written statement, quoted on Wednesday (4/3/2026). Warning signs of emotional eating include eating when not hungry, difficulty controlling portions, only wanting certain types of food, and feeling guilt after eating. If this condition happens frequently, Reisi recommends consulting a psychologist first before nutritionist guidance. Reisi explained that there are three types of eating behaviour: emotional eating, external eating, and restrained eating. In emotional eating, the decision to eat is influenced by emotions; while external eating is triggered by visual stimuli of food, and restrained eating relates to conscious restriction of eating. According to her, emotional eating occurs most among adolescents to early adulthood. ‘During adolescence and early adulthood, body performance is good, but pressure is also high, so the likelihood of emotional eating is greater,’ she said.