Overeating Is Common When Stress Stays ConstantUSA TODAY - October 4, 2001 During the past few weeks, many people have turned to food, or away from it, as a means of coping with their anxiety over the recent tragedies and the uncertain future. It's a phenomenon that doesn't surprise doctors and dietitians. When people are under extremely high levels of stress, almost everybody eats less, says Kelly Brownell, psychology professor at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. But as the intense stress subsides to a more constant level, many people begin to eat more, he says. Pamela Peeke, a physician trained in nutrition, has observed this in her private practice in Bethesda, Md. ''The majority of my patients said that when they were watching the events on Sept. 11, they lost their appetite completely because of extreme stress,'' Peeke says. But five to seven days after the events, many of her patients found that they were doing ''rebound stress overeating,'' she says. ''What people are going through now is fallout stress, and their overeating is almost insidious. They don't even know they are doing it,'' says Peeke, author of Fight Fat After Forty and associate clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. One of Peeke's patients, Nancy Scarborough of Lanham, Md., ate crunchy peanut butter by the spoonful, nibbled on muffins at the office and had long lunches with colleagues. For Scarborough, the owner of a copier sales and service company, eating peanut butter and other foods was ''a great stress reliever.'' There are both biological and psychological reasons for all of this, experts say. Constant stress causes elevated levels of the hormone cortisol, Peeke says. That stimulates appetite, nervous eating and overeating in many people. How we deal with that stress is dictated by genetics and environment, Peeke says. Many people react by indulging in a bag of chips or a bowl of ice cream. They seem to gravitate to high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. ''Isn't it interesting that we don't open a can of tuna when we're under stress -- we turn to Ben & Jerry's?'' Peeke observes. Brownell says food often provides great comfort. ''There are some people for whom food is a friend,'' he says. ''For others, it's a way of escaping from the world. Some people report a tremendous feeling of calm when they eat.'' The best way to control eating while under stress is to tackle what's bothering you, he says. Some causes, such as the loss of a loved one, are uncontrollable. Other causes, such as a job you're unhappy with, can be modified. He advises developing coping strategies for stress other than eating. ''A terrific one would be to exercise. You can also meditate, talk to a friend, read a book.'' That's exactly what Scarborough did. She is still upset about the events of Sept. 11, but instead of eating to relieve her anxiety, she leaves the house for a long walk, or she heads for the gym. ''We now know we have to be ready for the unexpected,'' she says, ''and we have to expect the stress that's going to come with that.'' To see more of USAToday.com, or to subscribe, go to http://www.usatoday.com |