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PTSD symptoms increased risk for weight gain, obesity in women
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Women who experience posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are more at risk of becoming overweight or obese, according to recent study findings published in JAMA Psychiatry.
PTSD signifies a chronic stress reaction in response to trauma, and multiple studies have linked obesity and various forms of psychological stress, according to the study researchers.
They analyzed a subset of the Nurses’ Health Study II, an observational study conducted in 1989 with follow-up through 2005, which consisted of 54,224 female registered nurses aged 24 to 44 years at the beginning of the study period. Changes in BMI were assessed during follow-up.
Women who reported trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms before or during study entry in 1989 had higher BMI at every follow-up year. Researchers were able to evaluate whether PTSD symptoms alter BMI trajectories by observing women who developed PTSD symptoms after entry into the study. A higher number of PTSD symptoms was associated with a higher increase of BMI. Women with at least four symptoms experienced a faster increase in BMI.
The link between PTSD and obesity is particularly interesting, according to the researchers, because PTSD has been identified as a potential risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases, which also are associated with obesity.
“Although PTSD is a significant concern for its effects on mental health, our findings also suggest that the presence of PTSD symptoms should raise clinician concerns about the potential development of physical health problems,” Laura D. Kubzansky, PhD, professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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