We all need to eat. Food is a basic life necessity, but it can mean so much more to us than merely taking in enough food to keep hunger at bay. We eat when we''re sad, happy, bored, lonely, excited, and for many other reasons. Many people have complicated relationships with food and their emotions. For many of us, eating is a way to escape painful feelings. For others, no good feeling can go without a celebratory meal—and maybe even some overeating. But all this emotional eating can lead to serious health consequences, including obesity—the state of being very overweight. Learn more about why people''s emotions push them to eat the way they do, and discover how people develop unhealthy emotional relationships with food. When you understand the risks of eating because of your emotions, you''ll be able to understand your body''s needs better—and you''ll know how to stick with healthy eating, no matter how you''re feeling.