Scientists Discover Key To Manipulating Fat; Pathway Also Explains Stress-induced....

[Sherrie]

Scientists Discover Key To Manipulating Fat; Pathway Also Explains Stress-induced Weight Gain


In the paper, the Georgetown researchers describe a mechanism they found by which stress activates weight gain in mice, and they say this pathway -- which they were able to manipulate -- may explain why people who are chronically stressed gain more weight than they should based on the calories they consume.

More (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070702084321.htm)

Actual study:

Neuropeptide Y acts directly in the periphery on fat tissue and mediates stress-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome (http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nm1611.html)

[Sherrie]

Regina made a good point on her blog (http://weightoftheevidence.blogspot.com/2007/07/whats-stress-got-to-do-with-it.html) today about this study:


Unstressed mice consuming the "normal" diet did not gain weight.

Unstressed mice consuming the "junk food" diet did not gain weight.

Stressed mice consuming their "normal" diet did not gain weight.

Stressed mice consuming the "junk food" did gain weight.

This finding, especially if replicated in future studies, is critically important in our understanding of diet and health. This is because the findings showed that it was not diet alone that stimulated weight gain, nor was it stress alone. It was the specific combination of stress coupled with what researchers described as a "high-fat, high-sugar" diet that led to weight gain.

And not just any weight gain, but specifically fat accumulation in the belly - visceral fat; which we now understand is more detrimental to long-term health than subcutaneous fat which accumulates in places like the butt, thighs or arms. The stressed mice consuming a junk food diet also experienced glucose intolerance, elevated blood pressure, inflammation of the blood vessels and fat accumulation in the liver and in muscle tissue.

Simply put, they developed Metabolic Syndrome.

They did this not consuming excessive calories either - the researchers noted that the weight gain and fat accumulation in the stressed mice consuming the junk food diet was greater than expected given the calories consumed. Yet the mice consuming the same diet who were not stressed did not gain weight.