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Weight
Gain Follows Anxiety and Depression
The March 2006 issue of the Archives
of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, reported
a study linking anxiety disorders and depression to weight gain in
girls. The study found that girls with anxiety disorders and depression
are more likely to gain weight over time. They are also more likely to
have a higher body mass index later in life.
Girls exhibiting either anxiety disorder or depression had higher body
mass index than those without anxiety disorder or depression. The
younger they were when they first experienced depression the higher the
subsequent body mass index.
The authors concluded that, “efforts to improve mental health
in
populations may also help prevent female obesity.” They
suggested
that understanding the relationship between anxiety disorders,
depression and weight gain could improve prevention and treatment.
Calcium
and Healthy Body Weight
Calcium, well known for building bones, may also be helpful in
maintaining a healthy body weight. The American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition (2003) and the Journal of Nutition
(2003) reported studies showing an inverse relationship between calcium
intake and amount of body fat. The greater the calcium intake, the
lower the amount of body fat. Calcium from dairy foods seemed to have a
greater effect than calcium from supplements.
The relationhips between calcium intake and body fatness remained
strong even when the amount of food eaten and amount of exercise were
considered. This is not as simple as increased calcium intake
representing a healthier lifestyle.
It is possible that eating adequate amounts of dietary calcium may
stimulate hormonal action that targets and breaks down stored fat, thus
helping to prevent the accumulation of excessive fat.
Reasons
for Regaining Weight
Although little is know about the causes of regaining weight after
dieting. Research reported in Obesity, December 2004, suggested four
possible contributing factors. The first was changes in the metabolism
as a result of calorie restriction, the body’s natural
defense
against starvation. The second was lower levels of leptin, a peptide
produced by fat cells, which lead to an increase in appetite. Third, an
increase in ghrelin, a hormone produced by stomach cells, also
increases appetite. The fourth factor suggested was the availability
and abundance of high fat and sugar food available daily.
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