Technology has made our world simpler and a better place to live. Many tedious work has been now replaced by machines, giving humans more time to relax and enjoy. But with this comfort comes problem related to weight. And it is a known fact, that losing weight is difficult but even more challenging to keep it at bay. But don’t be disheartened with this news because as per the latest study conducted at University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, stress management intervention program can be effective in guiding individuals to lose weight.
Associate professor in the UK Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition and researcher Kelly Webber says that people already knew that to lose some extra pound you need to keep a track of your daily calorie intake and exercise. But the problem is that majority of individuals easily recover that weight. She wanted to find new ways which has long term effects.
Webber for the study compared two programs, intuitive eating-based intervention with that of stress management-based intervention. People participating in the intuitive eating based intervention program were informed to understand the signals which the body gives when it require food or when it is full and they should stop eating. Where as people in stress management were taught skills that helps them to mange stress more effectively.
The preliminary study included 26 members segregated in two groups, eating group managed by the Webber and the other by a professional trainer helping participants to cope up with stress.
The participants met twice in a week for 75 minutes. After 7 weeks the data collected revealed that the participants in the stress management program showed up-to 17 pounds of weight loss as well symbolic reduction in blood pressure. On the contrary there was no significant loss in weight or any drop in blood pressure of the members in eating intervention program. Moreover during the follow up time, stress management participants easily maintained the loss in weight for at-least 14 weeks time.
Webber in a statement said:
So many people in my weight loss studies, myself included, say ‘I’m a stress eater or I’m an emotional eater,’ and this stress management based intervention seems to be getting at the root of the problem.
Now the research team plans to conduct a more intensive study, observing the benefit of different stress management approaches in weight loss and then maintaining it over a long duration. This study has clearly indicated the relation between the stress and the weight. So in case you are planning to shed weight avoid taking stress and stay happy.
Source: MedicalXpress
Photo credit: Fitsugar
