The DOI matches its Crossref record; 94 of the 94 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Effects of Chronic Social Stress on Obesity
Open accessAbstract
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has markedly increased during the past few decades. Stress has been suggested as one environmental factor that may contribute to the development of obesity. In this review, we discuss the role that exposure to chronic stress may play in the development of obesity, with particular attention to the effects of chronic psychosocial stress. Of particular importance is the effect that social stress has on dietary preference, food consumption, and regional distribution of adipose tissue. We present evidence from human and animal studies that links sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity with visceral obesity, and that stress tends to alter the pattern of food consumption, and promotes craving of nutrient-dense "comfort foods." Lastly, we discuss the visible burrow system, a model of chronic social stress used in our laboratory to assess the effects of social subordination on behavioral and metabolic profile.
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“Mental stress should be addressed among individuals with obesity, as chronic stress may promote obesity development through the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation that elevates cortisol levels, interferes with insulin sensitivity, promotes energy storage, and creates food cravings for ultraprocessed “comfort foods” [189]”
From Nutritional priorities to support GLP ‐1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society (2025) · cites this paper as [189]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the citing paper
“Mental stress should be addressed among individuals with obesity, as chronic stress may promote obesity development through the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation that elevates cortisol levels, interferes with insulin sensitivity, promotes energy storage, and creates food cravings for ultra-processed “comfort foods” [180]”
In the citing paper
“Mental stress should be addressed among individuals with obesity, as chronic stress may promote obesity development through the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation that elevates cortisol levels, interferes with insulin sensitivity, promotes energy storage, and creates food cravings for ultraprocessed “comfort foods” [189]”
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Cites
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“In vulnerable individuals, exposure to chronic stress can adversely affect numerous aspects of health [8, 9, 15].”
BackgroundAdipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ
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Koolhaas, J. M., Korte, S. M., De Boer, S. F., Van Der Vegt, B. J., Van Reenen, C. G., Hopster, H., De Jong, I. C., Ruis, M. A. W., & Blokhuis, H. J. (1999) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(99)00026-3 · Cited by 2,875
Leptin activates anorexigenic POMC neurons through a neural network in the arcuate nucleus
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Neurocircuitry of stress: central control of the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenocortical axis
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A transgenic model of visceral obesity and the metabolic syndrome
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Stress, eating and the reward system
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Anti-obesity drug discovery: advances and challenges
Müller, T. D., Blüher, M., Tschöp, M. H., & DiMarchi, R. D. (2022) · Nature Reviews Drug Discovery · doi:10.1038/s41573-021-00337-8 · Cited by 1,021
Sex differences in the physiology of eating
Asarian, L., & Geary, N. (2013) · American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology · doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00446.2012 · Cited by 513
Ahmed, S. K., & Mohammed, R. A. (2025) · Metabolism Open · doi:10.1016/j.metop.2025.100375 · Cited by 432
Stress, Overeating, and Obesity: Insights from Human Studies and Preclinical Models
Razzoli, M., Pearson, C., Crow, S., & Bartolomucci, A. (2017) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.026 · Cited by 228
Hunter-gatherers as models in public health
Pontzer, H., Wood, B. M., & Raichlen, D. A. (2018) · Obesity Reviews · doi:10.1111/obr.12785 · Cited by 229
Metadata
- Authors
- Scott, K. A., Melhorn, S. J., & Sakai, R. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Cincinnati (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sakai, Randall R.
- Venue
- Current Obesity Reports
- Published
- 2012-01-11
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 16-25
- ISSN
- 2162-4968 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3428710
- OpenAlex
- W2035475751
- Cited by
- 251
- References
- 92
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Current Obesity Reports (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH088230)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK068273, R01DK066596)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Keywords
- chronic social stress, obesity, psychosocial stress, visceral obesity, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic nervous system, dietary intake, food preferences, body fat distribution, burrow systems, social subordination, metabolic profile
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