Researchers studied 64 people preparing for or recovering from weight loss surgery to understand how emotions affect eating habits. They found that people with higher anxiety and depression tend to experience stronger cravings for comfort foods. Interestingly, following a Mediterranean-style diet (lots of vegetables, fish, and olive oil) didn’t directly reduce these emotional cravings. The study suggests that doctors should pay close attention to patients’ mental health before and after surgery, since emotional well-being plays a big role in whether weight loss surgery succeeds long-term.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How anxiety, depression, and emotional eating (craving comfort foods) relate to each other and to diet choices in people having weight loss surgery
- Who participated: 64 adults (about 69% women, average age 48 years) who were either preparing for weight loss surgery or had already had it
- Key finding: People with higher anxiety and depression showed stronger emotional eating patterns, but eating a healthier Mediterranean diet didn’t automatically fix these emotional cravings
- What it means for you: If you’re considering weight loss surgery, addressing anxiety and depression with your doctor or therapist may be just as important as changing what you eat. Surgery alone won’t solve emotional eating—your mental health matters too.
The Research Details
This was a snapshot study, meaning researchers looked at a group of people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. They measured three main things: how anxious and depressed people felt (using standard questionnaires), how much they craved comfort foods due to emotions, and how well they followed a Mediterranean diet (which emphasizes vegetables, fish, whole grains, and olive oil). The researchers also took basic measurements like weight and height. Because it’s a snapshot study, it shows relationships between these factors but can’t prove that one directly causes another.
Understanding these connections helps doctors prepare patients better for surgery. If we know that emotional eating is linked to anxiety and depression, doctors can screen for these issues before surgery and provide support. This approach might improve surgery outcomes since emotional eating is a major reason people struggle to keep weight off after surgery.
The study included a relatively small group (64 people), which means results should be viewed as preliminary. The study was well-designed for exploring relationships between factors, but it couldn’t prove cause-and-effect. The researchers used validated, standard tools to measure anxiety, depression, and emotional eating, which strengthens the reliability of their measurements. However, larger studies following people over time would provide stronger evidence.
What the Results Show
The main finding was a clear connection between emotional distress and emotional eating: people with higher anxiety and depression scores also reported stronger cravings for comfort foods driven by emotions rather than physical hunger. This relationship was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be due to chance. Surprisingly, the study found no strong connection between how well people followed a Mediterranean diet and their emotional eating patterns. This suggests that simply recommending a healthier diet doesn’t automatically reduce emotional eating—the emotional component needs separate attention. The researchers also found no significant relationship between diet adherence and anxiety or depression levels, indicating these are separate issues that may need different approaches.
The study included mostly women (about 69%), which is typical for weight loss surgery populations but means results may not apply equally to men. The average age of participants was 48 years, so findings may differ for younger or older adults. The study didn’t find major differences between people preparing for surgery and those who had already had it, suggesting emotional eating patterns persist both before and after the procedure.
Previous research has shown that emotional eating is a real problem for people with obesity and can interfere with weight loss success. This study confirms that connection and adds that anxiety and depression are key drivers. The finding that diet alone doesn’t fix emotional eating aligns with other research showing that weight loss requires addressing both physical and psychological factors. However, some previous studies have suggested Mediterranean diets can improve mood—this study didn’t find that direct benefit, possibly because the sample was small or because diet changes take longer to affect mood.
The biggest limitation is the small sample size (64 people), which limits how much we can generalize these findings. The study is a snapshot in time, so we can’t know if emotional eating causes anxiety or if anxiety causes emotional eating—they’re just connected. The study didn’t include a control group of people not having surgery, so we can’t compare these patterns to the general population. The researchers didn’t measure actual food intake, only diet adherence through questionnaires, which relies on people’s memory and honesty. Finally, the study didn’t account for medications people might be taking that could affect mood or eating patterns.
The Bottom Line
If you’re considering weight loss surgery, ask your doctor about screening for anxiety and depression (moderate confidence). Consider working with a therapist or counselor before surgery to address emotional eating patterns (moderate confidence). Don’t expect diet changes alone to eliminate emotional eating—combine dietary improvements with mental health support (moderate confidence). After surgery, continue mental health support as part of your follow-up care (moderate confidence).
Anyone considering weight loss surgery should pay attention to this research, especially if they recognize emotional eating as a pattern. People with anxiety or depression who are overweight should discuss these connections with their doctors. Healthcare providers preparing patients for weight loss surgery should use this as a reminder to assess mental health. However, this research shouldn’t discourage anyone from having surgery—it just highlights the importance of comprehensive care.
Mental health improvements from therapy or counseling typically take 8-12 weeks to become noticeable. Changes in emotional eating patterns may take 3-6 months of consistent work. Weight loss surgery results are usually visible within 3-6 months, but long-term success (1-2 years and beyond) depends heavily on addressing emotional eating patterns early.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track your mood (anxiety and depression levels on a 1-10 scale) daily and note when you experience emotional hunger versus physical hunger. Record what triggered emotional eating episodes and what you ate. Over 4 weeks, look for patterns between your mood and eating choices.
- When you notice emotional hunger (craving specific comfort foods despite not being physically hungry), pause and log your current mood and emotion. Practice one alternative coping strategy (like a 5-minute walk, calling a friend, or deep breathing) before eating. Track which strategies work best for you.
- Weekly, review your mood-eating patterns and identify your top 3 emotional eating triggers. Set a goal to use a non-food coping strategy for one of these triggers. Monthly, assess whether your anxiety or depression levels are changing and whether emotional eating episodes are decreasing. Share this data with your healthcare provider during check-ins.
This research is preliminary and based on a small study group. It shows relationships between factors but doesn’t prove cause-and-effect. If you’re considering weight loss surgery or struggling with emotional eating, anxiety, or depression, consult with your doctor or a mental health professional for personalized advice. This information should not replace professional medical or psychological evaluation and treatment. Always discuss any major health decisions with your healthcare provider.