How Stress Derails Weight Loss

The science is clear - stress is a huge detriment to maintaining a healthy body weight. Here's the science behind why. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen studied decades of data, along with hundreds of participants to determine the link between stress and weight.

There are many factors that may explain the association between stress and weight gain. One aspect may be the role of emotional eating and increased snacking during stressful experiences.

Stress tends to produce the desire for highly palatable foods - that is those high-calorie/high-sugar/high-fat foods. Many categorize these as "comfort foods" and these low-nutrition foods can play a major role in weight gain.

When experiencing stress, these highly palatable foods activate the brain reward system involving opioid, dopamine and endocannabinoid. These calm the effect of stress which activate the sympathoadrenal system on the HPA-axis of the brain.

Stress tests show an acute increase in cortisol, glucose and insulin. These also lead to ‘eating in the absence of hunger’, meaning increasing the amount eaten as well as impacting the choice of foods.

There is also data showing gestational stress - which is stress during pregnancy - and how this affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Those who were born to mothers who report high stress during pregnancy are more prone to obesity throughout their lifetime.

Nutritional deficits may be one of many potential causes of stress. A lack of B-vitamins, along with minerals like calcium and magnesium, and omega 3-fatty acids have all been linked to increased stress levels - along with increase risk of obesity.

There is also robust evidence that lack of sleep is a major contributor to stress levels and therefore weight management as well. 245 women were studied for 6 months. Those with average or better sleep reported 33% more weight loss than those with less than average sleep.

The Copenahgen researchers along with decades of research done by others makes it very clear - stress has a holistically detrimental affect on the mind and body, specifically as it relates to weight.

Bottom line: If you're trying to attain or maintain a healthy weight, reduce your stress, increase your sleep, and increase your nutritional intake.

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