Stress Creates Weight Gain

by Dave Owen on December 2, 2009 · weight loss

in weight loss

As shown in an article in the American Journal of Epidemiology, stressing out does cause people to increase in weight. It is thought that this analysis is one of the first of its sort to examine at the relationship between weight gain and different types of stress. It looked at different types of stress that included job-related demands, difficulty paying bills, tense family relationships, depression or anxiety disorder.

“Today’s economy is stressing people out, and stress has been linked to a number of illnesses – such as heart disease, high blood pressure and increased risk for cancer. This study shows that stress is also linked to weight gain” as described by Jason Block, M.D., M.P.H.. Dr Block is the individual that directed the research as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health … Society Scholar at Harvard University. Block practices internal medicine at Brigham … Women’s Hospital and is on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

The research shows that women’s waistlines are affected by a number of types of stress. As discovered in the study, “Psychosocial Stress and Change in Weight Among U.S. Adults.” Along with weight gain associated with money problems or a difficult job, women also put on pounds when grappling with tense family relationships and feeling limited by life’s conditions.

For men, the numbers on the scale did not increase when confronting strained family relationships or feeling constrained by life circumstances. For men, lack of decision authority at work and want of skill discretion was affiliated with greater weight increases. Skill discretion can be defined as the power to learn new skills on the job and to perform interesting job duties.

Overall, this study found that people who reported raised psychological stress gained more weight if they already had higher body mass indexes (BMI). A similar weight-gain practice was not discovered among lower-weight people who were dealing with the same types of stress, as reported in the study.

When grappling with life’s stressful times, individuals may change their eating behaviors, which can lead to changes in weight. Stress induced weight gain is acted upon by an individual’s gender, the kinds of foods people eat when they change their eating patterns, and whether the person is already overweight or obese. These factors may cause some people to gain additional weight under stressful circumstances. While others may gain less weight or some times even lose weight under stress.

The study suggested that stress reduction may be an important part of weight-loss programs in the workplace and in clinical and public health programs. In the workplace, admittance to weight-loss programs, flexible work schedules and exercise equipment can help stressed-out workers.

“This is one of the first studies to explore the relationship between stress and weight gain,” Block said. “Our findings show that stress should be recognized as a threat to the well-being of adults, especially those who are already overweight.

Here is your free guide to healthful cooking. For more information about some of the causes of childhood obesity visit Facts About Childhood Obesity.

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