Stress Eating: Why It Happens and How to Manage It Without Restricting

What Is Stress Eating? (And How It Differs From Hunger)

Stress eating is a common response to chronic stressors and triggering events for many people. We know that 9% of the United States population will have an eating disorder in their lifetime (Deloitte Access Economics, 2020). 

If 9% are impacted by diagnosed eating disorders, we can imagine how much higher the percentage is for individuals who do not necessarily have a diagnosed eating disorder but still struggle with stress eating. In fact, the American Psychological Association reports that 38% of adults report stress eating in the past month (American Psychological Association, 2013).

Is It Stress Eating or Are You Actually Hungry?

Stress eating can happen for many reasons. First, we want to ensure that what we think is stress eating is not actually due to physical hunger. It is common for individuals to perceive their eating as being related to emotions like stress, when in reality they are restricting food due to stress, and then feel out of control with their eating later. Did you know that ghrelin, a hunger hormone, can nudge us towards short-term thinking? 

In other words, when we are hungry, we are not as capable of thinking through the long-term impacts of our food choices (Heilig et al., 2023). Other interventions alone are unlikely to be effective unless first addressing restriction. We also know that people who have been dieting are particularly vulnerable to overeating during stressful times. Dieting itself is a source of stress! Working with a registered dietitian can help ensure that we are meeting our nutrient needs, as this is a complicated, nuanced topic for many.

The Hormones Behind Stress Eating: Ghrelin, Cortisol, and Insulin

Once we know that our biological need for food is met, it makes it possible to address stress eating. There can still be a biological rationale for why stress eating occurs. Ghrelin can be triggered by psychological stress and is also shown to be chronically elevated in individuals sleeping less than 6 hours per night (Smith et al., 2025). Ghrelin (hunger hormone), leptin (fullness hormone), cortisol (stress hormone), and insulin (energy storage hormone) all signal the central nervous system about energy homeostasis. When cortisol is chronically elevated, the body can become less responsive to insulin, disrupting normal appetite regulation and driving increased hunger (Chao et al., 2017).

Why Stress Eating Becomes a Learned Behavior

Stress eating can also be a learned behavior that helps us regulate emotions. For example, think about eating fast food on the way home after a taxing commute, reaching for food during tense social situations, eating something crunchy during a suspenseful movie or game, or using food as a reprieve if you are the primary caregiver for another individual.

Why Restriction Makes Stress Eating Worse

It is very important not to manage this stress eating with restriction, as this keeps us stuck in a vicious cycle. Instead, try these strategies (Tribole & Resch, 2020):

5 Compassionate Strategies for Responding to Stress Eating

Assess Your Hunger and Needs

• Am I biologically hungry?
• What am I feeling?
• What do I need?

Meet Your Needs With Kindness

Work on meeting your needs with kindness, such as getting adequate rest, expressing emotions, and connecting with others.

Seek the Nurturance Food Tries to Offer

Seek nurturance that food tries to offer. This may mean playing with a pet, getting a massage, meditating, or gardening.

Cope With Emotions Directly

Find ways to cope with emotions. When we acknowledge what is happening underneath the surface, we don’t have the need to suppress it with food. This may mean releasing emotion through crying, journaling, talking to someone, and seeing a therapist.

Use a Non-Food Distractor

Use a different distractor: go to the movies, read a book, listen to music.

When to Work With a Registered Dietitian for Stress Eating

Working with a registered dietitian can be a life-changing opportunity for many struggling with stress eating. Our qualified team is here to support you!

References

American Psychological Association. (2013). Stress and eating. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/eating

Chao, A. M., Jastreboff, A. M., White, M. A., Grilo, C. M., & Sinha, R. (2017). Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight. Obesity, 25(4), 713–720. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21790

Deloitte Access Economics. (2020). The social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States of America: A report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/

Heilig, M., Leggio, L., & MacKillop, J. (2023). A randomized controlled experimental medicine study of ghrelin in value-based decision making. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 133(12), e168260. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI168260

Smith, W., McKay, N., Giorgianni, N. R., & Mietlicki-Baase, E. G. (2025). Hunger games: A modern battle between stress and appetite. Journal of Neurochemistry, 169(2), e70006. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.70006

Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2020). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary anti-diet approach (4th ed.). St. Martin’s Essentials.

Article by Sarah Nichols RD, LDN, CEDS-C

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