Why do people tend not to eat when they feel sad?

When you eat rich food like poultry and chocolate, your level of serotonin increases and that makes you feel better. So when people overeat, their body subliminally knows from past experience that eating makes them feel better, just as we instinctively seek for touch (ie. embrace) when we are sad. They are stuffing themselves, trying to make up for their low level of serotonin.

As for people who don't eat, they are finding ways to punish themselves for whatever reasons. Maybe you are sad because of the things you've done. In this sense, you're putting all the blame on yourself, causing further depression when you ignore your body's physical demands. You're letting yourself be sad because you deserve it. That's what your brain thinks and that's how you act accordingly.

I was reading a fitness/nutrition magazine and it talked about this a bit. People eat when they're stressed because it's food! Food is a happy thing. The article also said that the reason people overeat when they're sad is because their thoughts are racing about the things that stress them out, so they don't pay attention to how much they're eating.

Studies say. :)

Well when some people get sad they also get nervous and eating would cause them to puke the food they do eat. Eating on an upset stomach tends to make people get sick. Like when people get divorced they tend to loose 50 pounds because their nerves get the best of them.

I don't eat when I'm sad because I feel like I will throw it up.

Also, my hunger will distract me from whatever is bothering me.