Cited by 1,060Eating Disorders and BehaviorsRegulation of Appetite and ObesityStress Responses and Cortisol

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Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior

Epel, Elissa, Lapidus, Rachel, McEwen, Bruce, Brownell, Kelly·2001·Psychoneuroendocrinology

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Abstract

To date, there are few known predictors of stress-induced eating. The purpose of this study was to identify whether physiological and psychological variables are related to eating after stress. Specifically, we hypothesized that high cortisol reactivity in response to stress may lead to eating after stress, given the relations between cortisol with both psychological stress and mechanisms affecting hunger. To test this, we exposed fifty-nine healthy pre-menopausal women to both a stress session and a control session on different days. High cortisol reactors consumed more calories on the stress day compared to low reactors, but ate similar amounts on the control day. In terms of taste preferences, high reactors ate significantly more sweet food across days. Increases in negative mood in response to the stressors were also significantly related to greater food consumption. These results suggest that psychophysiological response to stress may influence subsequent eating behavior. Over time, these alterations could impact both weight and health.

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“However, previous studies suggest that individuals with high cortisol reactivity tend to consume more sweet and fatty foods under stress (Epel et al., 2001; Newman et al., 2007).”
BackgroundInfluential
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“Add in considerations of physical activity, stress, alcohol, and culture, and the complexity multiplies dramatically (Epel et al., 2001).”
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Stress and Eating Behaviour
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Authors: Epel, E., Lapidus, R., McEwen, B., & Brownell, K.
Affiliations: University of California, San Francisco (US)
Yale University (US)
Rockefeller University (US)
Corresponding author: Epel, Elissa
ORCID: Epel, Elissa
Lapidus, Rachel
McEwen, Bruce
Venue: Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2001-01
Volume: 26
Issue: 1
Pages: 37-49
ISSN: 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4530(00)00035-4
OpenAlex: W2101290962
Cited by: 1,060
References: 26
Citations by year: 2026: 30 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 75 · 2020: 92 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 48 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 66 · 2013: 61 · 2012: 53
FWCI: 17.40
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
National Institutes of Health
National Center for Research Resources (M01RR000125, RR00125)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords: stress eating, cortisol response, dietary habits, appetite, premenopausal women, taste preference, sweets consumption, negative mood, hunger, psychophysiological stress response
MeSH terms: Adult, Affect, Appetite, Energy Intake, Diet, Reducing, Eating, Educational Status, Female, Food Preferences, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Income, Stress, Physiological, Body Mass Index, Premenopause

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Stress may add bite to appetite in women: a laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior

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