The relationship between stress and over eating has been examined in animal and human studies. Longitudinal studies showed that chronic life stress may be linked to weight gain, with a greater effect that has been seen in men. Stress-induced eating may be one factor contributing to the development of obesity.

A new study on female rhesus macaques has shown that psychological stress is closely linked to overeating and weight gain. Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, found that socially subordinate female rhesus macaques over consumed calorie-rich foods at a significantly higher level than do dominant females. During the study, female macaques were given access to a sweet but low-fat diet and a high-fat diet for 21 days each. For a 21-day period between each test diet, the group was able to access standard monkey chow only. Researchers found socially subordinate females consumed significantly more of both the low-fat diet and the high-fat diet throughout a 24-hour period, while socially dominant females ate significantly less than subordinate animals and restricted their feedings to daytime hours.

The difference in feeding behavior resulted in accelerated weight gain and an increase in fat-derived hormones in subordinate females. Dr. Wilson believes this may suggest profound changes in metabolism and the accumulation of body fat. As this study shows, they prefer the high-fat diet and, as a result of the stress of being a subordinate, they have higher levels of the hormone cortisol.

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• People eat when they get bored or do not have anything interesting to do or look.

• Some people turn to food whenever they experience an emotional upswing or downturn.

• There are some serious medical conditions causing the problem for some overeaters. These include thyroid imbalance, hormone imbalance and metabolic imbalance.

• Biological cause of overeating is that if you’ve gone too long without eating, for example longer than five hours, then you are bound to overeat at the next mealtime. You may feel you didn’t have control over your eating.

• People overeat when they do not get enough calories in a day, or inadequate eating.

• When people feel deprived of the foods which they enjoy and this leaves them craving for them even more.

• People turn to food when someone says or does something upsetting or hurtful to them. Anxieties and emotions can also lead to the desire to eat. Some women eat because they are sad or stressed out.

The problem of emotional eating may have various causes, but all begins in the mind. There may be various other factors contributing towards it, but stress takes its toll on your life. When your defenses are compromised your health takes a hit and so do your emotions.

Since, everyone has good days and bad days, dealing with the bad ones brings emotional eating into play. People who turn to food for comfort find a coping mechanism that won’t judge them, hurt them or tell them “no.” To complicate the issue, eating pleasurable foods can stimulate the release of endorphins just like exercise. So, after you eat, you feel better. For emotional eaters, food relieves stress. But, in fact, this is just liking hiding behind the food instead of seeking solutions to the problems.

• Lowered blood pressure and pulse
• Brittle hair and nails
• Lightheadedness or fainting
• Swollen joints
• Low temperature
• Loss of hair on the head
• Depression
• Lanugo – the growth of soft furry hair on the face, back and arms
• Slow or stunted growth
• Menstrual periods stop