Appetite is not linked to hunger since appetite is the activity and drive in order to eat whereas hunger is the physical and mental state in which a person needs to eat.
Also appetite is linked to many unhealthy behaviors that can result to other symptoms of eating disorders which causes deletrious effects on one's mental and biological state.
As a POC, I personally see it as standing their ground. Feelings that they’re probably experiencing is anger, injustice, possible even scared or nervous.
No it is not they should not be reacting the way they react if anything it should be the opposite way