Although the complex relationship between stress and eating
has long been recognized in humans [3], the underlying
psychobiological mechanisms that shape the direction of
change–whether one eats more or less during stress,–are
largely unknown.
Past research has shown that being female,
overweight, or scoring high on dietary restraint are all predictors
of eating more during stress
In humans it is difficult to characterize types of psychological
stress responses since they tend to include blends of emotions
and aspects of threat and challenge appraisals simultaneously.
, although it is difficult to test their independent effects
in people. The relationship between cortisol and food intake in
humans may also involve effects of glucocorticoids on Neuropeptide
Y (NPY), CRH [45], leptin [32] as well as opioid [46] and
endocannabinoid [47]signaling, as described in more detail below