What is the importance of food in the novel, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

Food plays a starring role in the novel. Bonnie Grape is an overeater, and Amy is following in her mother's footsteps. Arnie is obsessed with certain foods and constantly has remnants of his food and drinks on his face. Amy always seems to be in the kitchen fixing food for Bonnie, Arnie or someone in the family. In the end, it is Bonnie's overindulgence in food that kills her.