Negative Emotional Eating Behaviour Is Associated With Decreased Masticatory Function

The aim of the study was to measure electromyographic (EMG) parameters of masticatory muscle activity and evaluate bolus properties using an agar chewing test in emotional eaters.

Untrained participants (83 women and 46 men, mean age 32.4 ± 8.1 years) were categorised as control and emotional eaters using scores on the emotional scale of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ_Emo). EMG parameters of chewing rhythm, salivation and bolus fragmentation parameters and sensory perception were determined in chewing tests with agar gel.

Emotional eaters chewed agar gel with 13% fewer chewing cycles in comparison to controls. Amplitude characteristics of the masseter and suprahyoid muscles did not differ between the groups. However, the EMG signals of the temporal muscle of emotional eaters had lower mean and area amplitudes than those in controls. The bolus saliva content was 12% lower in the emotional eating group compared to the control group, whilst the saliva incorporation rate did not differ. The fraction of bolus particles less than 1.6 mm after chewing agar gel was lower by 11% in emotional eaters than in controls. Sensory analysis demonstrated that participants in both groups similarly rated overall liking and intensity of aroma, taste and texture properties of agar gel. According to sensory analysis, participants in both groups rated overall liking and intensity of aroma, taste and texture properties of agar gel similarly.

People with negative emotional eating showed decreased masticatory activity and masticatory efficiency whilst chewing agar gel.