Eating under stress can mean more weight gain

We know that stress affects our physical and psychological health because it can lead to problems such as migraines, digestive problems and anxiety. When we do not cope with stress in a productive way, this can lead some people to foods that are high in sugar and fat and that contain stress. And a new study published in Cell metabolism found that eating comfort foods during stress can lead to more weight gain than eating without stress.

The research team led by Professor Herbert Herzog, head of the Eating Disorders Lab at the Garvan Medical Research Institute, examined the impact of stress or its lack on weight gain in exposed mice. to a high calorie diet. They found that mice in the stress environment gained more weight with the same diet as those in the stress-free group.

The team wondered what was the root cause of weight gain. After further investigation, they discovered that a molecule called NPY was causing stress, and that when its production was stopped, weight gain had decreased. Even if we can not suppress the production of NPY, we may be able to limit its production by reducing stress and avoiding processed foods.

How? Well, it turns out that NPY production may be related to our insulin levels because mice that ate stress had higher insulin levels than those in a stress-free environment . These increased insulin levels increased levels of NPY, which caused more stress in the diet and weight gain.

"Our results revealed a vicious circle in which high chronic insulin levels, caused by stress and a high-calorie diet, increasingly favored food," says Professor Herzog. "This really reinforces the idea that if it's bad to eat junk food, eating high-calorie foods under stress is a double whammy that promotes obesity," said Kenny Chi Kin. Ip, Ph.D., lead author of the study, in a statement.

You may think, "From time to time, I'm stressed and I eat unhealthy food" and the truth is most of us do it. But this study does not speak of a single treat, but rather emphasizes that chronic stress combined with the consumption of processed foods is the main factor in unhealthy weight gain. So, focusing on reducing your stress and your consumption of processed foods (especially during stress) can help reduce this risk.