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Stress in the Pathogenesis of Eating Disorders and Obesity

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Nutrients, Stress, and Medical Disorders

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

Eating disorders and obesity are multifactorial disease conditions with several accompanying comorbidities, including a shortened life span. Entangled among their risk factors and within their intricate pathogenesis is mental stress. This power of the mind has been repeatedly shown to affect somatic illnesses, most commonly coronary artery disease (Iso et al., 2002; Krantz, Shaps, Carrey, & Natelson, 2000; Sheps et al., 2002), so mental stress may convincingly result in physical harm. The center of appetite regulation is in close proximity to areas that control the stress response in the hypothalamus, hence the connection between feeding regulation and stress seems not to be by chance. It should be noted that the topic is broad, and the interrelationships within and between biological, psychological, and social factors are complex. This chapter will present several key issues regarding the role of stress in the pathogenesis and etiology of eating disorders, chiefly anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and obesity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolism, Braun School of Public Health, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Gal Dubnov & Elliot M. Berry

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  1. Gal Dubnov
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  2. Elliot M. Berry
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, and The Gonda Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Shlomo Yehuda PhD

  2. Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA

    David I. Mostofsky PhD

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Dubnov, G., Berry, E.M. (2006). Stress in the Pathogenesis of Eating Disorders and Obesity. In: Yehuda, S., Mostofsky, D.I. (eds) Nutrients, Stress, and Medical Disorders. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-952-4:253

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