Are Anxiety and Disordered Eating Related?
- Rachel Hickman
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
*For the purposes of this post, I do use certain terms that may be triggering depending on where you are at in your recovery. Please use caution if you are in the depths of your eating disorder; you can always come back and read later. Maybe try reading with a trusted friend or team member.*
If you struggle with anxiety and disordered eating, you're not alone—and you might be wondering if they’re connected.
Many clients I work with come into nutrition counseling noticing a link between heightened anxiety and their eating behaviors—whether that looks like restriction, obsessing over food choices, or constantly thinking about their body.
So, are anxiety and disordered eating related? Yes—very much so. And understanding the connection can be a powerful step in healing.
The Overlap Between Anxiety and Disordered Eating
Anxiety is more than just ‘worry.’ It's a nervous system response that affects your thoughts, body, and behaviors. Disordered eating, on the other hand, is any pattern of eating or thinking about food that disrupts your physical or mental well-being—even if it doesn’t meet criteria for a diagnosed eating disorder.
What research (and experience) tells us is this:
Anxiety can fuel disordered eating behaviors
Disordered eating can increase anxiety
A study published in Archives of General Psychiatry found that two-thirds of individuals with anorexia nervosa and up to three-quarters of those with bulimia nervosa also had a diagnosable anxiety disorder, often beginning before the eating disorder itself (this doesn't even include anxiety forms that may not meet full criteria). This highlights just how tightly these conditions can be intertwined.
How Anxiety Shows Up in Eating Behaviors
Anxiety doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it whispers through rigid routines, food rules, or the quiet pressure to “get it right.”
Here’s how anxiety can influence eating, although not an extensive list:
Fear of eating “wrong” can lead to rigid rules or patterns
Controlling food may feel like the only way to manage chaos
Body-checking and food tracking become compulsive habits
Guilt after eating can spiral into restriction or overexercise
Avoiding social eating due to fear of judgment or lack of control
Research has shown that people with high levels of anxiety are more prone to maladaptive eating behaviors—such as restrictive eating, emotional eating, or binge eating—as a way to cope with internal stress.
Your Brain on Anxiety and Food Rules
From a physiological standpoint, both anxiety and disordered eating impact the brain’s stress systems—especially the amygdala and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Chronic anxiety and food restriction can:
Increase cortisol levels (your body’s main stress hormone)
Disrupt digestion and appetite regulation
Suppress hunger and fullness cues
This may explain why people experiencing anxiety often report:
Digestive discomfort (nausea, bloating, diarrhea)
Loss of appetite—or excessive hunger
Feeling “disconnected” from their body’s signals
What Healing Can Look Like
Healing the anxiety–disordered eating connection doesn’t happen overnight—but it is possible.
In nutrition counseling, we work together to:
Identify how food and body thoughts are linked to anxiety
Practice neutral, flexible thinking around food
Build nervous system regulation strategies beyond food control
Restore regular eating patterns to reduce physiological stress
Explore gentle nutrition without rigid rules
We may also coordinate with your therapist, physician, and/or psychiatrist to support the mental and emotional aspects of recovery.
Signs You're Breaking the Cycle
You may be making progress if:
You feel less anxious around food decisions
You eat even when it’s uncomfortable—because you know your body needs it
You feel more grounded after meals, not more panicked
You allow for flexibility without spiraling
You notice fewer food-related thoughts throughout the day
Even small shifts are signs your brain and body are learning a new way to feel safe—with food and within yourself.
Final Thoughts: You Are Not Alone
If you're noticing anxiety and food struggles showing up together, you’re not weak—you’re human. It’s incredibly common for eating behaviors to become a coping tool for underlying anxiety. The goal of nutrition counseling isn’t to take away your safety—it’s to help you find it in new, healthier, sustainable ways.
At Tennessee Nutrition Counseling, I offer compassionate, weight-inclusive support for those healing from disordered eating and anxiety. Together, we’ll work to untangle fear from food and help you reconnect with your body in a grounded, gentle way. Don’t hesitate to reach out today! https://www.tnnutritioncounseling.com/contact-8
Sources:
Kaye, W. H., Bulik, C. M., Thornton, L., Barbarich, N., & Masters, K. (2004).
Comorbidity of anxiety disorders with anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(3), 348–358.
Pallister, E., & Waller, G. (2008).
Anxiety in the eating disorders: Understanding the overlap.
Clinical Psychology Review, 28(3), 366–386.
Monteleone, P., & Maj, M. (2013).
The role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in eating disorders: A review.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 38(3), 393–405.
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