THE EATING BEHAVIOR OF ANXIOUS AND OBESITY CASES: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Anxiety Disorders (AD) correspond to the most common psychiatric illnesses that significantly interfere with the individual's quality of life, emotional comfort or daily performance. The emotional state seems to influence the quantity and quality of food eaten and the subsequent food choices. The aim of the study was to identify the possible influence of AD on eating behavior and the development of obesity. AD can cause a significant change in the eating behavior of affected people, causing binge eating. Impulsivity and deficient inhibitory control for dietary stimuli seem to be associated with the dysregulation of neurotransmitters, which possibly alter food consumption leading to a higher body mass index due to the increase in the consumption of foods rich in sugar, fat and ultra-processed foods. In this study, possible changes in eating behavior, which can result in the development of obesity in AD, were presented. However, the findings suggest that there is no consensus on whether obesity is due to AD or vice versa.