A narrative review of stress, food choices, and eating behavior: Integrating psychoneuroendocrinology and economic decision-making

Abstract

Perhaps all of us have heard of the term “comfort eating,” and many of us likely engage in the practice occasionally. Despite an intuitive understanding of at least one influence of stress on food choices, the influence of stress has largely gone unconsidered in economic models of food choice and consumer behavior. A growing body of literature, from a wide array of disciplines, has highlighted the importance of considering stress within food choices and consumer behavior. In this review, we survey this growing literature, focusing as narrowly as neurobiological mechanisms linking stress to food choices and as broadly as population-level studies that have examined such influences. Considered together, the literature suggests that even a mild nationwide stressor may alter food consumption patterns. Such effects have nontrivial implications, ranging from production considerations for major snack manufacturers to public health for policymakers. We conclude with recommendations for future work on the subject, including work aiming to understand food choices on a national scale.