A friend who is counselor and head priest at a girls’ Catholic school thinks it’s a large factor behind the childhood obesity epidemic too. Not just sexual abuse but childhood trauma in general leading to food as a coping mechanism.

His offhand theory is that the increase in the prevalence of restaurants and hyperpalatable foods gave people an outlet to feel safe (a third place in public where the whole family goes and acts their best) and the hyperpalatable food gave an easy and cheap dopamine boost during hard times leading to a spiral.