Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior

To date, there are few known predictors of stress-induced eating. The purpo se of this study was to identify whether physiological and psychological va riables are related to eating after stress. Specifically, we hypothesized t hat high cortisol reactivity in response to stress may lead to eating after stress, given the relations between cortisol with both psychological stres s and mechanisms affecting hunger. To test this, we exposed fifty-nine heal thy pre-menopausal women to both a stress session and a control session on different days. High cortisol reactors consumed more calories on the stress day compared to low reactors, but ate similar amounts on the control day. In terms of taste preferences, high reactors ate significantly more sweet f ood across days. Increases in negative mood in response to the stressors we re also significantly related to greater food consumption. These results su ggest that psychophysiological response to stress may influence subsequent eating behavior. Over time, these alterations could impact both weight and health. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.