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Women who suffer multiple traumatic events more likely to be overweight, study finds
WOMEN plagued by trauma are over a third more likely to become obese than those who lead a care-free life, a study found.
Distressing events, such as the death of a child, long-term unemployment, or physical assault, all increased the risk of weight gain.
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Researchers say these ordeals may lead to comfort eating or hormonal changes that affect the body’s metabolism.
Women who reported more than one traumatic life event were 11 per cent more likely to be obese than those who had experienced none.
And the risk of becoming obese – having a BMI over 30 – increased with the number of negative life events they had experienced over the past five years.
Those who reported four or more negative life events had a 36 percent higher risk.
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Study leader Professor Michelle Albert, from the University of California, examined data on 21,904 women.
She said: “Our findings suggest that psychological stress in the form of negative and traumatic life events might represent an important risk factor for weight changes.
“We should therefore consider including assessment and treatment of psychosocial stress in approaches to weight management.
“The potential public health impact is large, as obesity is related to increased risks of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer, and contributes to spiralling healthcare costs.”
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Jeremy Pearson, from the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study emphasises that mental wellbeing, in addition to physical fitness, is likely to be a contributor to the ability of women to maintain a healthy weight – a factor that may not be considered sufficiently by doctors or patients.”
Britain is the fattest nation in Western Europe, with obesity rates having doubled to 27 per cent in the last two decades.
The NHS spends around £16billion a year treating conditions directly linked to being overweight.
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions meeting in Anaheim, California.
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