Stress and anxiety have been known to cause excess weight gain. High stress makes your cortisol levels shoot up; an increase in the levels of cortisol – a hormone secreted when you’re afraid or anxious – increases your BMI and, hence, the fat in your body. High cortisol levels also cause binge eating, eventually resulting in weight gain. Stress and anxiety can cause weight gain, and that weight is difficult to lose.
Studies suggest that these two factors contribute greatly to obesity. They also suggest that there is a relation between stress and cortisol – a hormone secreted in response to fear and anxiety. High cortisol levels result in obesity, diabetes, and other such conditions. A study with 2500 test subjects aged 54 years or more suggested that those subjects with higher cortisol levels had a higher waist ratio and a higher body mass index (BMI). Having a higher BMI meant more fat in the body, resulting in obesity. Researchers also suggest that there is a link between high cortisol levels and binge eating, which in turn leads to weight gain.
Eating regular meals helps maintain stable blood glucose levels, which in turn prevent overeating. When you’re stressed, identify the cause and do one small thing each day to reduce the effect of that cause. You’ll notice that you’ll start feeling better and have more energy.
Watch the video below to know more about how stress and anxiety might be making you overweight:
