MSU Study Correlates Childhood Stress with Adult Weight Gain
Researchers found women with stressful childhoods put on pounds more quickly later in life.
A study led by a Michigan State University professor finds a correlation between childhood stress and weight gain later in life. Researchers say women who experienced high levels of stress while growing up added on pounds more quickly after reaching adulthood. But Michigan State Associate Professor Huy Liu says the same does not hold true for men.
“When women feel stress, women [are] more likely to increase the amount of eating, and also eat… fatty food, and for men, when they feel stressed, they are more likely to drink alcohol or withdraw from… relationships.”
-Huy Liu, MSU Associate Professor
Liu says examples of childhood stressors include divorce or economic hardship. She says stress prior to turning 16 years old affected weight gain more than similar incidents later in life. Click here for more information about the study.
