A review of sex differences in the mechanisms and drivers of overeating

Abstract

Disordered eating is often associated with marked psychological and emotional distress, and severe adverse impact on quality of life. Several factors can influence eating behavior and drive food consumption in excess of energy requirements for homeostasis. It is well established that stress and negative affect contribute to the aetiology of eating disorders and weight gain, and there is substantial evidence suggesting sex differences in sub-clinical and clinical types of overeating. This review will examine how negative affect and stress shape eating behaviors, and how the relationship between the physiological, endocrine, and neural responses to stress and eating behaviors differs between men and women. We will examine several drivers of overeating and explore possible mechanisms underlying sex differences in eating behavior.

Keywords: Binge eating; Dietary restraint; Disordered eating; Emotional eating; HPA axis; Inhibitory control; Loss-of-control eating; Overeating; Sex differences; Stress-eating.