Good Friday morning....
I saw a study published that described a permanent change in DNA in children that occurs in children who are exposed to much stress, resulting in an increased risk of depression because of neurochemical factors. Basically, when a child is exposed to much stress, some changes occur in a gene that results in the over production of certain neurochemicals that result in higher liklihood of depressive disease as an adult.
The question occurs then as to whether this type of stress exposure in childhood also may result in other neurochemical changes involved in eating behaviors resulting in a higher liklihood of obesity as that child becomes an adult.
Brain chemicals play a large role in mood disorders and also eating patterns. There are so many things we do not know about this entire neurochemical pathway and hopefully further research will result in therapies to address these imbalances.
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I would venture to say that there is certainly a connection. My mother passed away when I was 4 years old. That seems to be the beginning of my propensity to medicate my emotions with food. The same happened to my son. His father was emotionally abusive and the pattern began when he was a toddler. He is now 27 and struggled with his weight and stress eating most of his life. A serious bought of negative responses to lactose caused him to change his eating behaviors (goodbye cheese!) and when he saw the weight loss, began exercising more. He looks great today.
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