Stress, Eating, and Children

Anyone who has battled with weight understands how stress and anxiety
can affect his or her eating habits.  If you are watching your weight to
keep your weight under control, you are considered "Restrained".
The less you watch and are worried about your weight, the less restrained
you are.  So, you can be highly restrained, or on the other hand have  
low restraint.

According to recent studies of 9 year old children, there is some indication
that stress may influence their eating habits just as it seems to in adults.
The following is what they say:   "Dietary restraint occurs in children and
may influence the effect of stress on eating.  Interpersonal stress decreases
snacking in low dietary restrained youth but increases snacking in
high-dietary restrained children, perhaps because of stress-induced disinhibition."
(from "Obesity Research")

In other words, according to this study, kids that are very weight conscious
will eat more under stress than those that do not worry about their weight.
There are studies out there that do NOT directly link stress to overeating
and obesity, but they are quick to say that there needs to be more
study and their results are not definitive.

From my experience in counseling weight loss clients, I personally think that
most of the emotional eating is a learned behavior.  We learn it from our
parents, friends, peers, and siblings.  Mostly it is from parents.
What do you think?  Post your comment and tell me what you think.

Bob

P.S.
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