Does anxiety cause obesity?

Question

I'm just curious.

Answer 1

Anxiety is a mental state. If you eat a lot when you are in a state of high stress, yes it can cause you to gain weight. But you cannot gain weight from a feeling. Acting upon that feeling by eating a lot, will cause the person in question to gain weight. But you cannot gain weight by thoughts.

Answer 2

Well I guess that depends on the person, but no necessarily

See, if you have anxiety and a increase in catecholamine levels, this will decrease blood supply to the GI tract so usually it will cause satiety (fullness) and decrease your appetite, of course there is small group of individuals who would eat more in an effort to relieve the anxiety, but this is the exception.

So the answers is, yes it can, but it does not necessarily have to

Radan S, MD, PhD

Answer 3

The actual anxiety does not cause obesity it's the turning to food in mass quantities that if not balanced by proper sunshine and exercise will blow you up but really.

Also it may take a long time to break the habit of turning to the first and usually the easiest palliative food in mass quantities.

Answer 4

Overeating causes obesity, not anxiety.

Answer 5

Anxiety can cause you to eat more than usual (or less for some), so I guess if it goes too far, it could be linked to obesity.

Answer 6

No. Overeating and lack of exercise causes obesity.

Answer 7

Not directly. It's just a way some types of people have for coping with anxiety. When some people feel anxious, they eat -- and eat and eat and eat.
When I get anxious, I can't sleep OR eat.

Answer 8

Some people eat to relieve the anxiety, and yea those people will gain weight.

Answer 9

It can in some situations. Some people who are extremely nervous pick up bad habits to "ease" their minds and sometimes eating is unfortunately one of these habits

Answer 10

it can alot of people eat when stressed