doreen T
Mon, Nov-06-00, 21:29
New research connects stress to weight gain By Corey Hann
Novenber 04, 2000
(U-WIRE) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Stress is a hallmark of college. For many people, fatty foods and long hours on the couch somehow turn into stress-relievers. But it is common knowledge that these indiscretions can lead to weight gain.
New research, however, suggests that stress alone, minus the indulgences, can pack on the pounds as well. Pamela Peeke, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Maryland Medical School, said when people are faced with stressful situations, the brain sends out a stress hormone that triggers a series of reactions that cause certain cells to retain fat.
"There are special receptors on the fat cells deep inside the abdomen which are specifically intended to hook up with stress hormone - and stress hormone stimulates them to accept fat," Peeke said.
The excess fat in these cells provides energy for the body to function, Peeke said.
While this reaction worked fine for our ancestors, the brain can't tell the difference between survival stress and chronic, daily stress, she said, and so people who are overworked and stressed out retain more fat than those who approach their daily routines in a relaxed or in a better state of mind.
According to Kathleen Des Maisons, author of "Potatoes Not Prozac," this rapid increase in stored fat can cause elevations in blood sugar levels and an increase in the hormone insulin.
"When insulin is consistently high, as with chronic stress, this suppresses the fat-burning hormone glucagon," she wrote in her book. "This scenario also sets us up for food cravings and can set the stage for diabetes later in life."
Contributing factors
Dr. Faith Hill of the University of California-Davis said emphasizing thinness has itself become a stressor and an overwhelming distraction in today's society.
"The emphasis on healthy lifestyles, although salutary in many ways, has a very dark side to it and has led to the increasing peril of a tyranny of health in the United States," she said. "It's unnatural to dictate human behavior, such as weight control, as zealously as many in this society do."
Even government officials have criticized the fairly strict guidelines that define who is overweight in this country. The new definition, released two years ago, set the standard for obesity at a body mass index - the ratio of height to body weight - of 30. Suddenly, 37 million Americans had been reclassified as "overweight."
Whether you let weight gain become the stress of your life or are overwhelmed with other personal problems, relaxation is the key to keeping your life in check, Peeke said. She added that achieving a balanced lifestyle requires taking a unique perspective about your life.
"Figure out ways that you, in your own situation, could turn bad stress into good stress," she said.
(***this article has been snipped***)
http://www.psycport.com/2000/11/04/Uwire/harvest_Uwire9733201265216300.html
Novenber 04, 2000
(U-WIRE) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Stress is a hallmark of college. For many people, fatty foods and long hours on the couch somehow turn into stress-relievers. But it is common knowledge that these indiscretions can lead to weight gain.
New research, however, suggests that stress alone, minus the indulgences, can pack on the pounds as well. Pamela Peeke, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Maryland Medical School, said when people are faced with stressful situations, the brain sends out a stress hormone that triggers a series of reactions that cause certain cells to retain fat.
"There are special receptors on the fat cells deep inside the abdomen which are specifically intended to hook up with stress hormone - and stress hormone stimulates them to accept fat," Peeke said.
The excess fat in these cells provides energy for the body to function, Peeke said.
While this reaction worked fine for our ancestors, the brain can't tell the difference between survival stress and chronic, daily stress, she said, and so people who are overworked and stressed out retain more fat than those who approach their daily routines in a relaxed or in a better state of mind.
According to Kathleen Des Maisons, author of "Potatoes Not Prozac," this rapid increase in stored fat can cause elevations in blood sugar levels and an increase in the hormone insulin.
"When insulin is consistently high, as with chronic stress, this suppresses the fat-burning hormone glucagon," she wrote in her book. "This scenario also sets us up for food cravings and can set the stage for diabetes later in life."
Contributing factors
Dr. Faith Hill of the University of California-Davis said emphasizing thinness has itself become a stressor and an overwhelming distraction in today's society.
"The emphasis on healthy lifestyles, although salutary in many ways, has a very dark side to it and has led to the increasing peril of a tyranny of health in the United States," she said. "It's unnatural to dictate human behavior, such as weight control, as zealously as many in this society do."
Even government officials have criticized the fairly strict guidelines that define who is overweight in this country. The new definition, released two years ago, set the standard for obesity at a body mass index - the ratio of height to body weight - of 30. Suddenly, 37 million Americans had been reclassified as "overweight."
Whether you let weight gain become the stress of your life or are overwhelmed with other personal problems, relaxation is the key to keeping your life in check, Peeke said. She added that achieving a balanced lifestyle requires taking a unique perspective about your life.
"Figure out ways that you, in your own situation, could turn bad stress into good stress," she said.
(***this article has been snipped***)
http://www.psycport.com/2000/11/04/Uwire/harvest_Uwire9733201265216300.html