Stress Makes People Fat

Long-term stress could make people fat, according to a study published in the first week of January 2002.

Disruptions in the human nervous system, or stress, can concentrate fat around the abdomen, raising the risk of diabetes as well as heart problems, a study by the university hospital in the Swedish city of Gothenburg found.

One fifth of Westerners are estimated to suffer from diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.

A body under stress creates a surplus of a hormone which stimulates a fat-gathering enzyme. This enzyme is more easily taken up by the abdomen than other parts of the body, the survey found.

After a long period of stress, the hormone surplus decreases but the fat remains, particularly around the bellies of modern men who need less physical exercise to survive than their forefathers.

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© 2002 - Khorsheed.com - Feb 2002