Obesity, Emotion Regulation and the Autonomic Nervous System: Exploring the Connections

Obesity is a multifaceted condition that profoundly impacts both physical and psychological health. Emerging evidence suggests that emotional dysregulation and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, particularly reduced heart rate variability (HRV), play significant roles in the development and maintenance of obesity. This thesis explores the complex interactions between obesity, emotion regulation, and autonomic function. The findings reveal that individuals with obesity often display impaired emotion regulation strategies, leading to maladaptive behaviors such as emotional eating. Simultaneously, reduced HRV, indicative of impaired parasympathetic function and increased sympathetic dominance, is frequently observed in obesity and is associated with poor emotion regulation and elevated cardiovascular risk. Together, these factors highlight a vicious cycle where emotional and physiological dysregulation perpetuate obesity. Understanding these interconnected mechanisms offers important insights for developing more effective prevention and treatment strategies that address both emotional and autonomic functioning in individuals with obesity.