Jaquta is quite accurate in paraphrasing me...I can only add that sexual abuse adds another deeper layer to the emotional eating puzzle...eating sometimes is anger, sometimes pity, sometimes fat itself is what makes you feel safe as a form of insulation and denial of sexuality, etc...all of this is covered in my book and in the twelve week program at shrinkyourself.com.
You may like to check out Dr Gould's response to a previous post entitled, emotional eating, solutions? by Mollys26.
My understanding of it is that the feelings of helplessness are turned into feelings of hunger. (Which is pretty much word for word what he said.)
Masturbation may also arouse feelings of guilt (or other negative emotions) which can also leave you feeling helpless and powerless.
The pattern that I have come to see is that no matter what the stressor it will be those negative emotions driving the emotional eating.
Dr Gould is infinitely better able to explain all this.
Take care.