Stress And Obesity Case Study

Introduction As of last year, over 2.1 billion people worldwide were considered obese (Ostrow, 2014). Obesity is increasing at an alarming rate due to multiple factors. A common factor is stress and the internal and external influences that links stress to obesity. As there are other environmental and genetic aspects that can affect someone to become obese, there have been multiple studies done to provide information and prove that stress is indeed linked to obesity. Separately these issues already present multiple problems, but when put together become even worse having created a worldwide epidemic. (Torres, Nowson; 2007)
Stress
What is Stress? “Stress can be defined as the brain’s response to any demand.”(Fact Sheet on Stress) Stress can happen in either long term or short term periods and can be reoccurring as well. However, if stress is occurring for long periods of time the body and brain starts to lose cells because of the amount of stress being induced upon them because of the chemicals being excreted. These periods of stress can be affected by different changes ranging from change in daily …show more content…
Therefore, when the two are automatically correlated issues with one factor coinciding and if not adding to the other arise. The biggest aspect that correlates stress and obesity is the flight-or-fight response. The flight-or-fight is a response to when one’s body is in danger. When activated this response produces various hormones into the body that produce quickened breathing, quickened heartbeat, and bursts of energy. (Scott, E.) The human body can feel endangered in ways that would be thought of as impossible; such a way would be being stressed. Sometimes work, school, or a traumatic event makes one feel that they are in danger; therefore, the same hormones get excreted as if an actually dangerous situation was