This systematic review and meta-analysis looked at 41 studies involving youth aged 12 to 21 and adults aged 22 and older. Researchers compared emotional eating scores between people with recommended BMI and those with elevated BMI. They also looked at obesity versus overweight categories.
The analysis found that adults with elevated BMI had significantly higher emotional eating scores than those with recommended BMI. The link was even stronger when comparing obesity to overweight. In contrast, the study did not find a significant association between emotional eating and BMI in the youth group. Additionally, the connection between emotional eating and BMI was stronger in samples with more women than men.
The researchers noted substantial differences between the included studies, which limits how broadly these results can apply. Because this is an association only, it does not prove that emotional eating causes higher BMI or that higher BMI causes emotional eating. Readers should understand these findings describe a pattern seen in past data rather than a guaranteed cause-and-effect relationship.