Why do people under eat when stress?

Lack of appetite: Stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, can affect the body's digestive system, leading to a loss of appetite.

Changes in eating patterns: Stress can disrupt regular eating patterns, causing some individuals to lose interest in food or forget to eat altogether.

Comfort food: In some cases, stress may lead to emotional eating, where individuals seek out comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar. However, this type of eating does not provide true nourishment and may actually contribute to weight gain and further stress.

Physical tension: Chronic stress can cause muscle tension and pain, making it uncomfortable to eat.

Increased metabolism: Stress can raise an individual's metabolic rate, leading to faster burning of calories and a reduced need for food.

Preoccupation with stressor: When preoccupied with a stressor, individuals may not be fully aware of their hunger cues or may ignore them in favor of addressing the source of stress.

It's important to note that the relationship between stress and eating behavior can vary among individuals, and not everyone will experience under-eating as a response to stress. Some people may overeat or binge eat in response to stress, while others may not be significantly affected in terms of their eating habits.