Weight gain through stress hormones
To what extent stress affects weight depends first of all on the type of stress. For example, acute stress produces mainly adrenaline and noradrenaline, which results in reduced food intake and increased energy metabolism. In the case of acute stress, one therefore tends to lose weight.
However, if this stress lasts longer, the stress hormone cortisol is produced to a greater extent, resulting in an increased intake of sugary and fatty foods. In addition, cortisol leads to the newly formed fat tending to accumulate on the stomach and neck rather than on other parts of the body. In severe cases, this is known as truncal obesity. The extent to which the intensity of chronic stress affects weight is still controversial, as there are different results. More about this:
- Symptoms of stress
