Researchers studied 681 Italian adults to understand why people who experienced trauma as children sometimes develop unusual eating patterns, like constantly snacking on small amounts of food. They discovered a chain reaction: childhood trauma can make it harder for people to form secure relationships and understand their own emotions, which then leads to these eating behaviors. The study found that difficulty understanding emotions was the strongest predictor of these eating patterns. This research suggests that therapy focusing on healing relationships and emotional awareness might help people with trauma histories develop healthier eating habits.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether childhood trauma leads to constant snacking through two specific pathways: difficulty forming secure relationships and trouble understanding one’s own emotions
  • Who participated: 681 adults from Italy who completed online surveys about their childhood experiences, relationships, emotional awareness, and eating habits
  • Key finding: Childhood trauma was linked to constant snacking, but this connection happened mainly through difficulty understanding emotions. People who struggled to recognize and process their feelings were most likely to engage in constant snacking behaviors.
  • What it means for you: If you experienced difficult childhood events and struggle with constant snacking, therapy that helps you understand your emotions and build secure relationships may be helpful. However, this study shows connections between factors, not proof that one causes another, so individual experiences vary.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers collected information from people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. All 681 participants completed questionnaires about their childhood experiences, how they relate to others, their ability to understand their own emotions, and their eating patterns. The researchers used advanced statistical methods called structural equation modeling to map out how these factors connect to each other, similar to creating a flowchart of emotional and behavioral connections.

The study used self-report measures, meaning participants answered questions about themselves rather than being observed or tested. The researchers used a technique called bootstrap resampling (running the analysis 5,000 different times with slightly different data samples) to make sure their findings were reliable and not due to chance.

Understanding the specific pathways connecting trauma to eating behaviors is important because it helps therapists know what to focus on during treatment. Rather than just addressing eating habits directly, this research suggests that healing relationship patterns and improving emotional awareness might be more effective approaches for people with trauma histories.

This study has several strengths: a reasonably large sample size (681 people), use of validated questionnaires, and sophisticated statistical methods. However, because it’s cross-sectional, we can’t prove that trauma causes these eating patterns—only that they’re connected. The study also relied on people’s memories of childhood, which can be affected by current emotions. All participants were Italian adults, so results may not apply equally to other populations. The study explained about 36% of why people engage in constant snacking, meaning other factors not studied here also play a role.

What the Results Show

The research confirmed that childhood trauma is connected to constant snacking behaviors, but this connection works through specific emotional and relationship pathways. When people experienced childhood trauma, they were more likely to have difficulty forming secure relationships and trouble understanding their own emotions. However, the most important finding was that difficulty understanding emotions was the strongest predictor of constant snacking—stronger than relationship difficulties alone.

The complete pathway worked like this: childhood trauma → difficulty with secure relationships → trouble understanding emotions → constant snacking. This chain was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to have happened by chance. The model explained 36.4% of the variation in grazing behaviors, which is substantial but also shows that other factors beyond those studied contribute to these eating patterns.

Interestingly, while childhood trauma led to both types of relationship difficulties (being overly anxious in relationships and being emotionally distant), only the anxiety type significantly connected to emotional understanding problems. This suggests that trauma affects different people’s relationships in different ways.

The study found that attachment anxiety (feeling overly worried in relationships) was the specific relationship pattern that connected trauma to emotional understanding difficulties. Attachment avoidance (pulling away from relationships) didn’t show this same connection. This distinction is important because it suggests that people who respond to trauma by becoming anxious in relationships may be at higher risk for the emotional understanding problems that lead to constant snacking.

Previous research has shown that childhood trauma is linked to disordered eating, but the specific mechanisms weren’t clear. This study builds on that knowledge by identifying two key stepping stones: relationship security and emotional understanding. The findings support developmental theories suggesting that early difficult experiences disrupt how people form relationships and understand their own emotions, which then affects eating behaviors. This aligns with existing research on how trauma affects emotional regulation.

This study has important limitations to consider. Because it’s cross-sectional, we can’t prove that trauma causes these eating patterns—only that they’re associated. People’s memories of childhood trauma can be influenced by their current emotional state, which might affect accuracy. All participants were Italian adults, so results may not apply to other cultures or age groups. The study relied entirely on self-reported information rather than clinical assessments. Additionally, the study explained about 36% of constant snacking behaviors, meaning many other factors (genetics, environment, other mental health conditions) also play important roles that weren’t measured here.

The Bottom Line

If you experienced childhood trauma and struggle with constant snacking, consider seeking therapy that focuses on understanding your emotions and building secure relationships. Mentalization-based therapy (learning to recognize and understand your own feelings and others’ feelings) appears particularly promising based on this research. This should be combined with standard eating behavior support. Confidence level: Moderate—this research shows connections but isn’t definitive proof of cause and effect.

This research is most relevant for adults with trauma histories who struggle with constant snacking, especially those who have had bariatric surgery or are trying to manage weight. It’s also valuable for therapists and counselors working with trauma survivors. People without trauma histories or those without eating concerns may find this less directly applicable, though the emotional understanding principles could benefit anyone.

Therapy focusing on emotional understanding and relationship patterns typically takes several months to show benefits. Most people notice gradual improvements in emotional awareness within 4-8 weeks, with changes in eating patterns often following as emotional regulation improves. Realistic expectations: steady, gradual progress rather than quick fixes.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track emotional awareness by rating your ability to identify what you’re feeling before eating (scale of 1-10) and noting what emotion preceded snacking episodes. This creates awareness of the emotion-eating connection.
  • When you notice urges to snack, pause and use the app to log: (1) What emotion am I feeling right now? (2) What need might this emotion be telling me about? (3) What non-food way could I meet that need? This builds the emotional understanding skills highlighted in the research.
  • Weekly review of emotion-snacking patterns to identify triggers and track improvements in emotional awareness. Set reminders to check in with emotions throughout the day, gradually building the reflective functioning skills that research shows reduce constant snacking.

This research shows connections between childhood trauma, emotional understanding, and eating patterns, but does not prove that one directly causes another. Individual experiences vary widely. If you struggle with eating behaviors or trauma, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider, therapist, or registered dietitian for personalized advice. This information is educational and should not replace professional medical or mental health treatment. Always discuss any significant changes to eating patterns or mental health concerns with a qualified professional.