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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : June 18, 2014 5:34 PM IST
A study by Aarhus University shows that the risk of obesity increases if a person has faced severe stress in early life. Though the researchers have previously shown that severe stress experienced by pregnant women can lead to weight problems for children between 10 and 13 years, a correlation between the mother's level of stress during pregnancy and the risk of developing overweight or obesity as an adult is new. (Read: If you're stressed, stay away from these foods!)
Lena Hohwu, PhD, from the University said that the overall results indicate that stress can create a programming of the unborn child that makes it susceptible to putting on weight after birth. And though there's still a lot of research to be done in this area, they have added a little piece to our understanding of why people are experiencing an obesity epidemic, in which one in five children in Denmark are overweight, and where most of them will remain overweight as adults. (Read: Which of these 10 symptoms of stress do you have?)
The study is based on data from 119,908 young men who were summoned to the Danish conscription examination between 2006-2011, during which their body mass index or BMI was measured. After specifically investigating the stress factor that occurs when the child's mother loses a close relative just before or during pregnancy, it was designated as 'an indicator of severe stress' that can double the risk of developing obesity in adulthood, Hohwu added. (Read: Stressed out? Try these yoga poses)
The study is published in PloS ONE.
What is stress?
Stress generally refers to a state of mind or mental tension that is linked to anxiety, irritability, insecurity, mental disorders like depression or insomnia and physical ones like migraine, cardiovascular ailments andsexual dysfunction. It occurs in the presence of an external stimulus called the stressor. Usually factors like work pressure, personal commitments and working environment act as common stressors in daily life. Our body can handle stress with a mechanism called fight-or-flight response, where certain hormones are released to combat stress. But when the levels of these hormones are increased, several organs and systems of the body may get affected. Increased stress levels commonly affects the immune system, musculoskeletal system, circulatory system and digestive system.It is also linked to heart disease, diabetes and gastro-intestinal disorders. There's a causal link between stress and physiological ailment. However the fact that many individuals remain healthy after stressful events suggests that susceptibility varies from person to person based on genetic, environmental and psychological factors. In this section, you can read some interesting ways to handle stress ex: laughter yoga,natural remedies, healthy food and water. Read more about Stress causes, symptoms, complications and management
With inputs from ANI
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