Predisposition to overweight
You regularly see, for example on TV or in the newspaper, that stress is a ‘fattener’. Is that really so?
Four out of ten Dutch people appear to be more sensitive to stress due to certain genes, which means that they are more likely to become overweight and suffer from depression.
Stress Hormones
When you are under a lot of stress, physical or psychological, your body produces stress hormones. That’s normal, but when you’re under too much stress, it can be harmful. You may also be more or less sensitive to the damaging effect of these stress hormones on your body and mind. That is genetically determined.
If you are sensitive to this, it can lead to unfavorable body composition, such as more fat and less muscle. Some variations in genetic predisposition can also lead to higher blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Insensitive to stress
About 10 percent of people are relatively insensitive to stress. They have a healthier metabolism. This can be seen in, among other things, a lower cholesterol level and less ‘tell-tale protein’, which indicates the degree of silting of the arteries. They have less chance of getting diabetes or cardiovascular disease, for example. You may therefore be predisposed to being overweight. But beware: it does not mean that you really have to become overweight. If you live and eat healthily, you significantly reduce the risks. Ultimately, it is still largely your own lifestyle that determines whether you actually become overweight.
Tips against overweight
Healthy eating remains important. Not too much oil, such as biscuits, sweets, pastries and so on.
A healthy weight also has to do with sufficient exercise. That is to say: half an hour of activities every day and an hour of intensive training twice a week. But it is also important to take your rest on time in this fast-paced society.
In this way you can maintain your weight very well. You may become fat sooner than someone else, but fortunately you can still control the majority of any extra pounds.
