People who lose weight during stressful periods of their lives should be aware their weight loss may be an early warning sign of emotional or physical illness. Loss of weight due to stress could also signal you are developing unhealthy eating habits.
Emotional Illness
Stress is a recognized trigger for emotional illnesses and addictions, which in turn can cause weight loss. You may be developing an emotional illness like depression and general anxiety or an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia -- all of which can reduce your appetite. The association between weight loss and psychiatric symptoms is so well-established that many intake questionnaires for psychotherapists, such as the "Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression," routinely ask if a new patient is experiencing lessened appetite or weight loss.
Physical Illness
Weight loss during stressful times can also signal that you are developing a physical illness, such as cancer. A 2011 study by researchers at Istanbul University, Turkey, looked at stresses in the lives of 768 cancer patients, and found that 41.7 percent had at least one type of severe stress within one year prior to their initial cancer diagnosis. The most common forms of stress were the death of someone close to them, unemployment, conflict with others, additional illnesses and debt. You can determine your current stress levels by taking the Carolinas Medical Center's "Recent Life Changes Questionnaire," an updated version of a stressful life events questionnaire developed by Drs. Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe in 1967. A score of 500 or more suggests you should monitor your health.
Nutrition Problems
If you are under stress and losing weight steadily, you may not have an emotional or physical illness. Instead, you may be developing poor nutrition habits. If you are anxious, short of time or facing overwhelming responsibilities, your meals may lack key nutrients and you may not be eating enough meals. A Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services brochure, "Handling Stress ... Nutrition Tips" warns that stress causes many people to skip meals. Subsequent poor nutrition leads to fatigue, weakness and a reduced ability to concentrate. The brochure debunks beliefs that taking high doses of vitamins, herbal anti-stress products or drinking caffeine will compensate for poor nutrition.
Regaining Healthy Weight
If you are experiencing unintended weight loss due to severe stress, make an appointment with your general practitioner and get a check-up. If your physician rules out physical illness, ask for a referral to a psychotherapist and see if there are emotional causes for your weight loss. If you are not developing a physical or emotional illness, but are so stressed that you are skipping meals or grabbing meals on the run, have a look at an American College of Sports Medicine brochure, "Sustaining and Adhering to a Healthy Diet," which contains detailed information on creating meals and snacks that will help you achieve a stable, healthy weight.
References
- The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; GlaxoWellcome; February 1997
- "Medical Oncology"; The Major Stressful Life Events and Cancer; Faruk Tas, M.D., et al.; April 2011
- Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services; Handling Stress ... Nutrition Tips; July 2000
- Carolinas Medical Center: Recent Life Changes Questionnaire
- The American Institute of Stress; Richard Rahe and Sizing Up the Scope of Stress; Paul J. Rosch, M.D.; August 2007
- American College of Sports Medicine; Sustaining and Adhering to a Healthy Diet; Shawn H. Dolan, Ph.D.; 2007
Member Comments