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Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Epel, E; Lapidus, R; McEwen, B; Brownell, K
Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology
January 2001

To date, there are few known predictors of stress-induced eating. The purpose of this study was to identify whether physiological and psychological variables are related to eating after stress. Specifically, we hypothesized that high cortisol reactivity in response to stress may lead to eating after stress, given the relations between cortisol with both psychological stress and mechanisms affecting hunger. To test this, we exposed fifty-nine healthy pre-menopausal women to both a stress session and a control session on different days. High cortisol reactors consumed more calories on the stress day compared to low reactors, but ate similar amounts on the control day. In terms of taste preferences, high reactors ate significantly more sweet food across days. Increases in negative mood in response to the stressors were also significantly related to greater food consumption. These results suggest that psychophysiological response to stress may influence subsequent eating behavior. Over time, these alterations could impact both weight and health.

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Published In

Psychoneuroendocrinology

DOI

EISSN

1873-3360

ISSN

0306-4530

Publication Date

January 2001

Volume

26

Issue

1

Start / End Page

37 / 49

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Physiological
  • Psychiatry
  • Premenopause
  • Income
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Humans
  • Food Preferences
  • Female
  • Energy Intake
  • Educational Status
 

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Epel, E., Lapidus, R., McEwen, B., & Brownell, K. (2001). Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 26(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(00)00035-4
Epel, E., R. Lapidus, B. McEwen, and K. Brownell. “Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior.Psychoneuroendocrinology 26, no. 1 (January 2001): 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(00)00035-4.
Epel E, Lapidus R, McEwen B, Brownell K. Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2001 Jan;26(1):37–49.
Epel, E., et al. “Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior.Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 26, no. 1, Jan. 2001, pp. 37–49. Epmc, doi:10.1016/s0306-4530(00)00035-4.
Epel E, Lapidus R, McEwen B, Brownell K. Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2001 Jan;26(1):37–49.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychoneuroendocrinology

DOI

EISSN

1873-3360

ISSN

0306-4530

Publication Date

January 2001

Volume

26

Issue

1

Start / End Page

37 / 49

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Physiological
  • Psychiatry
  • Premenopause
  • Income
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Humans
  • Food Preferences
  • Female
  • Energy Intake
  • Educational Status