Does Stress Cause Weight Gain? Here’s What Dietitians Say

Stress is an inevitable—and necessary—part of our lives. It can prompt you to take action, crush a deadline and make things happen. Often stressors go away—you resolve an argument with your partner, complete a project or finish a move, or something you were worried about turns out OK. But sometimes that stress doesn’t let up, and it’s something that you begin to live with regularly. That’s chronic stress. 

Chronic stress is implicated in a host of health problems, including depression, digestive issues, cognitive cloudiness and pain. And yes, you may notice changes in your weight, too. “Chronic stress can wreak havoc on health, contributing to weight gain and elevated blood sugar. Stress also affects our ability to manage food cravings,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN, founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook.

What exactly is going on—and what can you do about it? Learn more about the association between chronic stress and weight gain, the effects of stress on your eating habits, how to manage stress to prevent weight gain and more.

Understanding the Connection Between Stress and Weight Gain

Stress doesn’t just change how you eat—and what you eat—but it also can alter hormones that affect your appetite and hunger levels. “Stress can play a role in weight gain from multiple angles. High stress levels increase cortisol, which changes the rate at which the body breaks down certain macronutrients, leading to an increase in appetite and overeating,” says Lauren Twigge, RD, owner of Lauren Twigge Nutrition. 

Cortisol is a hormone that’s released by your body in response to stress, but it’s also involved in metabolism, inflammation and blood sugar regulation. And chronically high cortisol levels can wreak havoc on the body in more ways than one. “Stress chemicals like cortisol can trigger weight gain by increasing hunger, fat storage, insulin resistance and muscle loss,” explains Harris-Pincus. Where our bodies store fat in response to stress also matters—unfortunately, it tends to go into the abdominal area, contributing to belly fat. Called visceral fat, this type of fat surrounds your organs and increases your risk for chronic inflammation, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Then, there’s the effect stress has on what you eat. “Stress eating,” meaning eating to soothe your emotions, is a real thing. The types of foods we tend to reach for when we’re stressed happen to be more calorie-dense foods, such as chips, candy and ice cream. This process can itself cause stress. Stress eating can make you feel out of control around food, says Twigge. “This can lead to an even higher level of stress, resulting in a vicious circle that many people find themselves trapped in,” she says.

Chronic Stress and Weight Gain

Weight gain is complex. So many factors come into play, such as your genetics, as well as your sleep, eating and exercise habits. Stress may have a spot on that list, too. In a longitudinal study that followed participants for five years, researchers found that people who had the highest levels of perceived stress or who experienced more stressful life events had slightly higher BMIs compared to those with low stress or no stressful past events.

Overall, however, the data describing the stress-weight link isn’t fully clear, including how much of an impact stress may have on your weight status. “Research gives mixed results on stress and its direct link to obesity, as people respond to stress in different ways,” says Twigge. “Chronically high stress levels can impact eating and exercise behaviors that could lead to weight gain over time,” she says. Still, everyone’s response to stress is individualized. For example, some people eat less and skip meals, and for those people, stress can lead to weight loss.

The Effects of Stress on Eating Habits

Think back to the last time a wave of stress washed over you. Were you more likely to want carrot sticks or cookies? There’s nothing wrong with stress eating on occasion (it is normal), but if it’s your only tool for dealing with stress, it can contribute to excess calories, leading to weight gain. 

Survey results found that 33% of Americans report eating too much and/or eating unhealthful foods as a result of high stress. “Research shows that high stress not only influences the total amount of food that we eat, but it also changes the kinds of foods we want to eat. Cortisol often pushes our taste preferences towards highly palatable foods that are often high in calories, sugar and fat,” says Twigge.

Managing Stress to Prevent Weight Gain

While we certainly can’t avoid all stress, we can attempt to manage it through lifestyle changes. Consistency is key to creating new, sustainable habits To avoid overwhelming yourself, focus on a few aspects of your life that need tweaking. Consider starting here:

• Get the sleep you need: “Adequate restful sleep is key to managing stress and weight,” says Harris-Pincus. “Our bodies confuse signals for hunger, thirst and fatigue, so when we are sleep-deprived, we often turn to food instead of drinking water or taking a nap,” she says. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If you fall very short of this recommendation, make changes slowly by going to bed 15 minutes earlier until you reach your goal. 
• Focus on two nutrients: The protein and fiber in plant-based foods are a win for an eating pattern that supports stress management. “Fruit, veggies, legumes and whole grains can help to prevent weight gain as well as reduce cravings and balance blood sugar,” says Harris-Pincus.
• Prioritize physical activity: Exercise is a bonafide stress buffer. “Exercise releases endorphins which can directly lower cortisol levels and reduce your drive to overeat,” says Twigge. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. Walking is a great place to start—and it can help with weight loss, too.
• Take care of your mental health: Journaling, talking to a friend and meditation can all be part of your stress-less plan, says Twigge. After all, it’s often your perception of stress that makes the biggest difference in how you react to it. These tools can help you process what you’re going through and respond in healthy ways.

The Bottom Line

Hormones that the body releases in response to stress, such as cortisol, stimulate appetite for salty, sugary and high-fat comfort foods, says Harris-Pincus. Cortisol also contributes to insulin resistance and encourages the body to store fat, particularly dangerous abdominal (visceral) fat. 

Finding ways to reduce your stress can have an impact on your physical and mental well-being—and stress reduction may also help with weight management, too. Start with a few areas in your life and make changes gradually and steadily. Consider adding additional tools to your stress-management routine, such as short meditations, journaling and finding time to be with friends.