Emotional eating 'learned by children not inherited'

Emotional eating 'learned by children not inherited' Children who eat more or less when stressed or upset have learned the behaviour rather than inherited it, a study suggests.

A study by University College London found home environment was the main cause of emotional eating.

And this was due to parental behaviours including giving upset children their favourite food to soothe them.

But eating-disorder charity Beat says parents shouldn't be blamed for children's eating issues.

Emotional eating "indicates an unhealthy relationship to food", said senior lead researcher Dr Clare Llewellyn. BBC News

See also:

• Comfort eating is caused by stress at the dinner table in childhood Mail Online