Stress Eating Linked to 11 Extra Pounds a Year for Women - East Idaho News
Health

Stress Eating Linked to 11 Extra Pounds a Year for Women

  Published at

Getty 071414 bingeeating?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1405353234112iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Turning to food for comfort is a familiar habit for many, but a recent study shows that stress eating can lead to extra pounds and fewer calories burned.

Women who reported at least one stressor before eating a high-fat meal lost 104 fewer calories compared to those who weren’t stressed, according to a report in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The same participants also had higher levels of insulin, which contributes to fat storage, researchers said.

“When we’re stressed we tend to reach for the comfort foods and so it really is kind of a double-whammy,” said Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, lead author and psychology professor at Ohio State College of Medicine. “Those are the foods we reach for and those are the very foods that with stress are more likely to slow metabolism.”

The body burns calories more slowly after a stressful event, and combined with high-fat meals, it can add up to as many as 11 extra pounds annually.

The study out of Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center looked at 58 healthy women who ate meals that included 930 calories and 60 grams of fat — comparable to fast food options like Burger King’s Double Whopper with cheese.

Still, some experts take a more holistic approach to the data, saying people should be careful of what they eat, particularly when it comes to processed foods.

“They’re high in fat, they’re high in sugar, they’re high in calories. That’s probably not a shock. What we now know conclusively is that they activate the reward centers in the brain that are the same centers that are activated when people use drugs,” said ABC News Senior Medical Contributor Dr. Jennifer Ashton. “And you know, we can’t avoid stress, so it’s all a matter of coping.  Meditation is a great way to do it.”

So if you’re looking to binge on some Oreos after a difficult day, have a glass of water first to balance it out, Ashton adds.


Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION