Why overeat

A review of 24 studies concluded that distracted eating could cause a moderate increase in immediate food intake and a more significant increase in the amount that people eat later in the day. Limiting distractions as much as possible during mealtimes will allow the body to focus on the task at hand, which is eating. To do this, people should turn off computers, tablets, phones, and televisions when eating. Researchers are not entirely sure why, but it appears that people who eat slowly have a lower body mass index BMI and eat smaller meals.

Eating slowly might give the brain more time to realize that the stomach is full and send the cue to stop eating. Taking more time to eat may promote a greater sense of fullness and make people feel as though they ate more than they did.

In a study , adults who slowly ate milliliters of tomato soup reported feeling fuller after the meal than people who ate the same portion quickly. After a 3-hour interval, those who ate slowly also remembered the portion as being more substantial than those in the second group did.

To practice eating slowly, try putting the utensils down or taking a few deep breaths between bites. Some people also find it helpful to set a timer so that they are more aware of how quickly they are eating. It is useful to know what meal sizes are healthful and how to portion out food. According to the CDC , people who have large portions on their plate often unintentionally eat more calories than they need. It is hard to stick to a meal plan when the cupboards, fridge, or freezer contain unhealthful foods.

According to the CDC , opening up a cabinet and seeing a favorite snack food is a common trigger of overeating.

Parting with favorite snacks or treats is a vital step toward adopting a more healthful diet. Try clearing the cupboards of tempting snack goods, and donate unopened items to charity where possible. According to the Food and Drug Administration FDA , eating both soluble and insoluble fiber can help people feel full for longer, which generally helps prevent overeating. A small study found that participants who ate oatmeal for breakfast felt fuller for longer and ate less at lunchtime than those who had eaten cornflakes or just had water.

Fiber is a type of plant carbohydrate that occurs in many foods, including:. Most people who are eating 2, calories daily should aim to get 25 grams g of fiber each day.

Most people in the U. Learn more about dietary fiber here. Protein-rich foods tend to create a longer lasting sense of fullness and satisfaction than other foods. Eating protein-rich foods, especially at breakfast, also appears to reduce the levels of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin.

A study examined sedentary men and women who had obesity but not diabetes. The authors found that eating a high protein, high carbohydrate breakfast reduced ghrelin levels more than a low carbohydrate breakfast. The high protein, high carbohydrate breakfast also seemed to improve fullness and reduce hunger and cravings more than the low carbohydrate breakfast. In , a small-scale study that involved 20 young women found that eating high protein snacks that were less energy dense, such as high protein yogurt, improved satiety and appetite control compared with snacks high in fat.

The high protein foods also helped reduce food intake later in the day. Learn more about healthful high protein snacks here. However, according to the CDC , skipping meals can cause overeating at other times, leading to weight gain.

Research also suggests that eating breakfast can help control appetite and reduce overeating later in the day. Many experts recommend eating smaller, more frequent meals. However, the American Society for Nutrition note that most research now supports the idea of eating three structured, nutritious meals at regular times each day.

According to a review , stress appears to contribute to overeating and the development of obesity. After a stressful event, raised hormone levels promote hunger to encourage the body to replace lost energy. As a result, chronic stress could lead to persistent hunger, overeating, and excessive weight gain.

Learn more about chronic stress and how to manage it here. Food diaries, journals, and diet tracking apps can often help minimize overeating and allow people to identify poor eating habits or patterns. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , food tracking helps make people more aware of what they eat.

This awareness may help people stick to their dietary plans and either lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. People can start using food tracking tools by recording what they eat and when they eat it.

Once this has become routine, they can also track other factors, such as how much they eat and the calorie content of meals and snacks. Some activities, such as yoga and tai chi, have elements of both exercise and meditation. Social support. Friends, family, and other sources of social support seem to have a buffering effect on the stress that people experience.

For example, research suggests that people working in stressful situations, like hospital emergency departments, have better mental health if they have adequate social support. But even people who live and work in situations where the stakes aren't as high need help from time to time from friends and family. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Find out what really happens to your body when you overeat. But chances are, at some point, you have over-eaten. Overeating can lead to unwanted weight gain, and carrying excess weight can increase your cancer risk.

Overeating affects your body in a variety of ways. We spoke to Levy to learn more about the effects of overeating.

What are the long-term effects of overeating? When you eat, your body uses some of the calories you consume for energy. The rest are stored as fat. Consuming more calories than you burn may cause you to become overweight or obese. This increases your risk for cancer and other chronic health problems.

Overeating -- especially unhealthy foods -- can take its toll on your digestive system. Digestive enzymes are only available in limited quantity, so the larger the amount of food you eat, the longer it takes to digest. If you overeat frequently, over time, this slowed digestive process means the food you eat will remain in the stomach for a longer period of time and be more likely to turn into fat.

Overeating can even impact your sleep. Your circadian clock, which controls your sleep cycles, causes your sleep and hunger hormone levels to rise and fall throughout the day. Overeating can upset this rhythm, making it hard for you to sleep through the night. Click to print this infographic. My Chart.

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