Fat Belly and Stress

[Guest Lorrie**]

Our Fat Bellies Are Caused By WHAT?

 

By Cathryn Conroy, CompuServe News Editor

Stress. It's bad enough that some of us feel stress. Now a study from Swedish researchers says long-term stress can make people fat. Stress is a disruption of the human nervous system, and such disruptions can concentrate fat around the abdomen. Not only does this force you to buy bigger clothing, but also it can spell health dangers with increased risks for diabetes and heart problems. The study, conducted by researchers at the university hospital in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, examined 50 overweight, middle-aged men. Blame it on our stone-age ancestors. It's all their fault that we get fat when we are stressed. "The stress system has developed to deal with periods of brief stress for stone-age man preparing for battle or flight. But in today's civilized world, stress is different. One does not beat up the boss or run away from the mortgage institute," physician Thomas Ljung, who led the study, told Reuters.

 

Here's what happens: When we're under stress, our bodies create a surplus of a hormone that stimulates a fat-gathering enzyme. That enzyme is more easily taken up by our tummies than by any other parts of our body. If we're under stress for a long period of time, the hormone surplus decreases, but the fat remains--particularly around the bellies of middle-aged men. "Positive stress, a quick rush of adrenaline, is only good for the body. It is the long-term negative stress than can lead to serious health problems," Ljung told Reuters. And women can have the same problem, too, he warned.

[lyynm]

Thanks Lorrie,

  I was just talking to a gal yesterday about this article but she didn't get the facts straight. Your post made a lot more sense.

[Guest Lorrie**]

You're welcome, Lyyn!

[lspriggs]

does this mean that some people with these symptoms not have cushings.  What are they calling this, if anything.  If stress is causing this, it could also cause the cortisol levels to increase which means that you don't need to have a tumor present. Is this true.  Are people having first and second pit surgery but tumors are not being removed only normal cells but the cortisol levels continue to be high because stress is still present.  

 

i want to discuss this on my board under stress.

[Guest Lynne Clemens]

Luisa, in this case it would be "pseudo" cushings.  It's no surprise to us that too much stress hormone makes you fat.