New studies showed a direct link between fast food intake and stress — the more stressed you are, the more likely you are to reach for fast food. This is especially prominent among women since they are at greater risk of developing stress-related health issues.
A study conducted recently at the Ohio State University targeted obese and overweight young mothers (18–39). The study’s main aim was to examine if stress management methods have any effect on weight gain or weight loss.
As researchers explain, most women simply didn’t know how to manage stress and never thought about the fact diet can influence their mood. Thus, the amounts of junk food they ate proved to be directly proportional to the amount of stress they were exposed to.
The stress-management methods of the study involved healthy eating awareness and encouragement, as well as different kinds of physical activity. All of these proved to decrease the levels of stress in participants of the study.
