Full survey results: emotional overeating
Through our work with our Emotional Overeating Support Groups, a project funded by the Department
of Health, we’ve noticed that there’s a great deal of misunderstanding about emotional overeating, the
stereotypes it brings and the ways in which it is treated by healthcare professionals.
Emotional overeating can be described as an inability to distinguish physical hunger from emotions.
Emotional hunger comes on suddenly rather than gradually, is experienced as an inescapable craving
rather than a hunger pang in the stomach - a craving which feels like it has to be satisfied immediately.
Many jump to the conclusion that someone who is overweight is simply greedy or lazy and needs ‘more
willpower’ to eat and exercise healthily. Our survey showed that 88% of people said their difficulties
with food were related to emotional problems, and more worryingly 73% of those surveyed who visited
their GP said their emotional health wasn’t investigated.
As overeating can cause weight gain, over time emotional overeating can lead to further difficulties
such as concerns over body image and diminished self esteem. Julia Buckroyd and Sharon Rother in
their book ‘Psychological Group Treatment for Obese Women’ (2008) suggests that around 45% of
people who are obese use food as a means of managing their emotions.

92% said they’d like to lose weight

76% said their self esteem was low

85% had a negative body image of themselves

79% felt under pressure from society to lose weight
The survey was publically available, had the title ‘support for overeating: your experiences’ and was
publicised by Beat through our website and social media channels as well as by a number of
organisations who address obesity. The survey was aimed at over 18s who binge eat, compulsively
overeat, feel they have emotional eating issues and are overweight, obese or struggling with their
weight.
We received a total of 1017 responses although 160 people who told us they had anorexia, bulimia or
EDNOS were removed from the sample. The full survey results can be found below.
Survey responses
Some people overeat for emotional reasons such as feeling
low, anxious, lonely, or having difficulty dealing with
problems. Do you feel that you overeat for emotional
reasons?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or eligible to
answer it (n=781)
Frequency
Yes
684
87.6%
No
47
6.0%
Not sure
50
6.4%
Have you sought advice from your GP about being
overweight?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=787)
Frequency
Yes
380
48.3%
No
407
51.7%
When you sought advice from your GP about being
overweight, was your emotional health addressed?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=380)
Frequency
Yes
79
20.8%
No
278
73.2%
23
6.1%
Not sure
What has prevented you from seeking advice from your GP
about being overweight? (can select >1 answer)
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=389)
Frequency
I haven't felt the need to
118
30.3%
I didn't think it would help
112
28.8%
I felt that I would be wasting their time
89
22.9%
I thought I would feel embarrassed/I worried about how they
would perceive me
92
23.7%
I have felt that my concerns would not be taken seriously
85
21.9%
Other (please specify)
92
23.7%
Have you sought advice from another healthcare
professional (other than your GP) about being overweight?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=751)
Frequency
Yes
231
30.8%
No
520
69.2%
When you sought advice from another healthcare
professional (other than your GP) about being overweight,
was your emotional health addressed?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=237)
Frequency
Yes
82
34.6%
No
133
56.1%
22
9.3%
Not sure
Which one from the list below do you think healthcare
professionals put the most emphasis on?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=761)
Frequency
Diet
555
72.9%
Exercise
148
19.4%
55
7.6%
Mental Health/Emotional Health
What changes would you like to make in your life? (can
select >1 answer)
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=683)
Frequency
Lose weight/be a healthier weight
632
92.5%
Increase self-esteem
456
66.8%
Improve relationships with others
244
35.7%
Feel less isolated
237
34.7%
85
12.4%
Other (please specify)
What kind of support do you feel you need in order to
achieve your goals? (can select >1 answer)
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=666)
Frequency
Peer support in person
369
55.4%
Greater understanding from GP/other healthcare professionals
358
53.8%
Self-help resources
311
46.7%
Peer support in person online/other anonymous means
238
35.7%
90
13.5%
Other (please specify)
Have you been signposted to any support groups?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=684)
Frequency
Yes
64
9.4%
No
588
86.0%
32
4.7%
Don't know
Beat Emotional Overeating support groups are peer-support Frequency
groups, which are free, require no referral or weighing, and
give you the opportunity to attend, as often or as seldom as
you like. Would you make use of a Beat Emotional
Overeating support group for people (who experience issues
related to emotional overeating)?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=677)
Yes
371
54.8%
No
109
16.1%
Don't know
197
29.1%
Do you feel pressure to lose weight?
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=672)
Frequency
Yes
571
85.0%
No
101
15.0%
From whom do you feel this pressure to lose weight? (can
select >1 answer)
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=570)
Frequency
Yourself
505
88.6%
Society
448
78.6%
Media
322
56.5%
Family
266
46.7%
Friends
161
28.2%
65
11.4%
3
0.5%
Other (please specify)
Prefer not to say
Do you experience any of the following as a result of being
overweight? (can select >1 answer)
Percentage of
those who
answered question
or elligible to
answer it (n=670)
Frequency
Negative body image
568
84.8%
Low self-esteem
509
76.0%
Depression
356
53.1%
Anxiety
332
49.6%
Find it hard to socialise or make friends
210
31.3%
Isolation
203
30.3%
Stigma
182
27.2%
None of the above
29
4.3%
Other (please specify)
64
9.6%
Comments from the survey
“I've spoken to several GPs over the last 16-17 years (which is how long I've been dealing with this). I've
been told various unhelpful things from "you don't have an eating disorder if you're overweight", "just go
for a jog", "all you need is a bit of discipline". I’ve never been taken seriously when I've said I'm out of
control with my eating.”
“As someone who has previously suffered from anorexia and bulimia, the attitude to people with binge
eating is completely different. Instead of being empathetic and supportive, people assume that you are
just greedy and lazy”
“People need to appreciate this is a devastating condition which affects every aspects of a person’s life
- I am not a stupid person - I know what I should be doing but am totally overwhelmed by my incapacity
to process any excess of emotion other than using food”
“Anorexia and bulimia are recognised illnesses whereas overeating is seen as gluttony (the emotional
aspect of it is little mentioned and barely understood). I am overwhelmed with guilt and self loathing
for large periods of time which impact on my relationships with others. As an emotional binge eater my
depression shows in my waistline which only serves to boost the feelings of worthlessness, failure and
self loathing”