High levels of stress caused by the war can provoke bouts of overeating and endocrine disorders, says Anastasia Sokolova, a dietitian and endocrinologist at the Leleka Medical Center.
“The war in Ukraine prolongs and increases the level of stress and its negative impact on body weight. According to statistical forecasts, the number of people with diagnosed anxiety-depressive disorder and bouts of overeating against this background, and, consequently, possible endocrine disorders, is constantly growing. There are no exact figures yet, but stress levels are still high. Therefore, the issue of overweight or obesity on the background of prolonged stress is an extremely diverse and large problem in modern Ukraine, which cannot yet be fully resolved, because controlling hormone levels is not enough,” she said.
According to Sokolova, this problem requires a comprehensive approach.
“It is necessary to approach the problem in a comprehensive manner: to deal with the root cause of the condition – a prolonged feeling of stress – with a psychotherapist, to support the work of endocrine organs – with an endocrinologist, and to follow recommendations for establishing a healthy lifestyle – with a nutritionist,” the expert noted.
At the same time, she noted that stress is a normal and vital reaction of the body to negative environmental or internal factors.
“Evolutionarily, the reaction to stress was acute and short-lived: to escape from a predator and quickly run to a safe cave. Nowadays, our lives are full of chronic stress, which our body is not physiologically ready for. In contrast to the necessary beneficial effects of short-term stress, long-term and chronic stress can lead to hormonal dysfunction, which can affect health and lead to the development of various diseases, including obesity. “The ‘stress response’ or ‘reactive stress response’ is realized precisely through an increase in stress hormones in the adrenal glands, which force all body systems to work harder to save themselves,” she explained.
In particular, adrenaline increases the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and increases the body’s readiness for physical activity. This makes it possible to respond more quickly to a stressful stimulus. Norepinephrine increases attention, improves concentration and readiness for action, and plays an important role in preparing to fight or flee during stressful situations.
Cortisol is the main hormone that regulates the long-term stress response, increases blood glucose levels, increases fat metabolism, prepares muscles for action, and supports the function of the immune system. At the same time, elevated levels of cortisol in the body over a long period of time can have negative health consequences, including increased appetite and weight gain.
“During prolonged stress, it is important to monitor your health in order to respond in a timely manner and prevent chronic conditions. Controlling all of the above stress hormones is impractical because, unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to reduce their levels with medication,” Sokolova emphasized.
She noted that during prolonged stress, against the background of prolonged high cortisol levels, the level of other hormones will increase, which can already affect body weight, appetite, and cause chronic diseases and pathological conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, obesity, and hyperandrogenism. Therefore, the level of these hormones should be monitored.
In particular, we are talking about thyroid hormones, which affect the immune system, which in turn can lead to various thyroid disorders, and reduced thyroid function contributes to weight gain. In addition, it is necessary to control the level of sex hormones, which can increase testosterone levels and decrease estrogen levels, leading to reproductive system disorders (in case of prolonged stress) and weight gain. Insulin levels should also be monitored, as high levels of insulin over a long period of time can impair cellular sensitivity to it, which affects sugar levels, increases appetite, disrupts eating habits, and can lead to weight gain.
On the other hand, as the expert emphasized, it has been proven that constant stress can lead to anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), clinical depression, or panic attacks. And this can stimulate overeating, “storing” negative emotions, and the desire to improve mood with high-carbohydrate and sugar-rich foods. The process of overeating can turn into binge eating disorder (BED), which is a psychological disorder associated with excessive food consumption in a short period of time, usually without control over consumption, and guilt afterwards. At the same time, hormone levels remain within normal limits.
