Depressed girls, but not boys, are at risk for obesity
New research from the University of Penn State suggests that depression can lead to obesity in teenage girls, but not boys. Both boys and girls experience a spike in the stress hormone cortisol when depression and anxiety are running high, but for some reason only the girls gained weight in response to higher stress levels.
Some scientists believe this gender difference may be due to physiological and behavioral differences in how boys and girls (and men and women, for that matter) cope with stress. Girls release estrogen and tend to have emotional sessions of binge eating, while boys don’t.
Previous studies have shown that obese people are more likely to be depressed, and vice versa. It’s not hard to see why an obese individual who suffers from low self-esteem, poor body image, and frustration over their failed weight loss attempts would be prone to depression. Imagine being an overweight teenage girl with the added stress of feeling “unpretty” on top of all the usual trials of adolescence.
If, as this study shows, depression precludes obesity in young women, healthcare providers should treat this mood disorder before the depressed girls become obese women who are prone to emotional eating in response to any stress in their life.
Young women who find they’re reaching for food every time they’re anxious or depressed may want to look into stress management techniques like meditation, aerobic exercise, or journaling. If that doesn’t help, and your weight and the emotional eating seem to be getting out of control, recognize that you need support and talk to someone about a permanent solution.
