researchers found that among those “who were not obese at baseline,” individuals “who said they had experienced bias because of their weight – versus those who didn’t – were” approximately “two-and-a-half times more likely to be obese 4 years later.” The investigators also found that “among those who were already obese at baseline, weight discrimination was” linked to a higher “likelihood of remaining obese at follow-up.” the study suggests that weight discrimination, often justified to help encourage obese individuals to lose weight, can actually have the opposite effect and be associated with the development and maintenance of obesity.In addition to behavioral mechanisms that could explain the relationships, like coping with bias through eating and avoiding exercise, there are some physiological mechanisms that could be involved. "Psychological stress, particularly stress that involves heightened public awareness, engages the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and triggers cortisol release, and experimental administration of glucocorticoids has been found to increase food intake," Sutin and Terracciano wrote. "Further, individuals with high cortisol reactivity tend to choose calorie-dense, high-fat foods following a social stress test." "In addition to the secretion of cortisol, activation of the HPA axis also stimulates the release of endogenous opioids, which serve to regulate HPA activity," they continued. "The release of such opioids stimulates intake of palatable foods, and palatable foods likewise encourage opioid release; a cycle may thus ensue that reinforces intake of high-fat, calorie-dense foods as a way to cope with stress."
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:14:57 +0000
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