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How Stress Affects Weight Changes
25.01.2024 13:43
Since the mid-20th century, the spread of obesity and excess weight has become epidemic.
More than one and a half billion people across the planet already suffer from this disease, in its initial and chronic forms.
Moreover, according to WHO, not only in American and European countries, where there is a high level of consumption, but also in countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania, where obesity exists in parallel with exhaustion and hunger.
The promotion of a healthy lifestyle has not yet led to a slowdown in the growth rate of this recurring disease with very serious consequences, says Maxim Burikov .
What are the causes of the obesity epidemic?
Each person has different reasons for excess body weight and obesity, but only 13.6% of them are due to genetic factors, and 80% are associated with inadequate, excessive nutrition, disrupted sleep patterns, fluid intake, physical inactivity and bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking.
It is difficult to understand what triggers an individual, and researchers say that one of the main factors that triggers the process of weight gain is stress.
Manifested under the influence of external factors associated with changes in the environment (covid, economic crisis, military action, natural disasters, etc.), stress changes a person’s behavior and lifestyle, which subsequently leads to weight changes.
Stress can also be associated with the psycho-emotional impact of the social environment: it has a very serious impact on behavioral habits.
According to research conducted after the Covid-19 pandemic, people under stress can gain up to 700 grams every month.
Moreover, if at the onset of stress a person's weight was at least slightly excessive, people tend to gain weight, and if their weight was normal or insufficient, they do not. Also, the majority of study participants (70%) noted that food consumption increases during stress.
Why Some People Gain Weight Due to Stress and Others Don't
Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ. It secretes many hormones and bioactive substances with local and systemic effects on the brain, pancreas, liver, skeletal muscles, and cardiovascular system.
In normal conditions, these hormones and substances support the functions of many organs and metabolic homeostasis.
However, stress causes an imbalance in their production and effects.
For some, it will manifest itself, for example, in a loss of interest in food, which will lead to weight loss, while for others, appetite will increase and the person will begin to eat more often and in larger quantities, which will lead to weight gain.
Reasons for Weight Gain During Stress
1. Appetite and overeating. The body strives to neutralize the negative effects of stress and craves endorphins and serotonin - hormones of pleasure. Therefore, it strives for high-calorie comfort food that will quickly deliver glucose to the blood and provoke the production of endorphins.
This can lead to increased meal frequency, overeating, and increased overall caloric intake, all of which contribute to weight gain.
2. Increased cortisol levels. Stress can cause increased levels of cortisol, a hormone that is associated with the body's metabolic processes. High levels of cortisol contribute to an increase in fatty tissue.
And constantly elevated cortisol levels due to chronic stress can trigger hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, which seriously affect weight.
3. Slow Metabolism: Stress can lower your metabolic rate, which slows down the burning of calories and can lead to weight gain.
4. Decreased physical activity. When stressed, a person may feel tired, indifferent, or lack energy - this is influenced by decreased levels of dopamine. As a result of reduced physical activity, the number of calories a person burns decreases.
5. Sleep disturbance. Stress disrupts normal sleep, reducing its quantity. This leads to a melatonin deficiency and an increase in the stress hormone cortisol. As a result, metabolism is disrupted, appetite control worsens, energy and motor activity decrease. As a result, weight gain occurs.
6. Bad habits. When stressed, people may turn to bad habits, such as drinking alcohol and smoking. Alcohol slows down metabolism, causes dehydration and increases appetite, and smoking can also lead to profound metabolic disorders.
Reasons for Weight Loss During Stress
1. Decreased appetite. Lack of nutrients leads to weight loss.
2. Increased energy consumption. Increased activity and nervousness can increase the body's energy consumption. If nutrition is not supplied, fat reserves are used for this, which leads to weight loss.
3. Physical activity. For some people, stress may stimulate increased physical activity, such as a desire to engage in sports or physical labor, which may lead to weight loss.
Weight loss is not always harmless. For example, with a sharp decrease, a person can lose muscle mass, since the body can use it as a source of energy.
In addition, a deficiency of certain substances can affect the immune system and overall health: there is an increased risk of osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities in women, and problems with the cardiovascular and digestive systems.
Also, weight loss is not always a consequence of stress. If you have started to lose weight rapidly, it is important to consult a doctor. They can conduct the necessary tests and determine the reasons for the weight loss.
The rate of weight loss depends on many factors, including initial weight and health status. It is believed that weight loss of up to 2 kilograms per week without obvious reasons is a possible warning sign of the disease and requires further examination.
How to Cope with Stress and Weight Fluctuations
In the modern world, there are many reasons for stress, and the body regularly triggers stress scenarios - increases the production of certain hormones and substances or changes the mechanisms of their action. This is a natural reaction.
But if stress programs work longer than 48 hours, it begins to affect our psychophysical state and eating behavior. As a result, weight changes.
Stress is not a disease, but a condition that a person can influence. It can independently help the body more easily adapt to new conditions and return to a normal state.
Non-drug methods of stress correction work!
This involves monitoring your sleep patterns (at least 7 hours a day) and nutrition. It is recommended to regularly visit a sauna, swimming pool and other procedures that improve blood circulation.
In acute moments of stress, such practices as breathing exercises, meditation, active relaxation, and mindfulness training work well. Physical exercise, stretching, and warm baths with salt help well with stress.
Previously, we talked about how to understand that you made a mistake in choosing a trainer .
