Coronavirus: obesity risk due to the economic crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic increases the stress dictated by the economic crisis. And this increases the desire to eat. According to a study by the University of Alberta, which has been published in the scientific journal Evolution, Mind and Behavior, this will cause an increase in the rate of obesity, especially among those who have lost their jobs.

The experiment that led to these conclusions was conducted on 564 participants, who were shown pictures of 30 food products. After asking them how much they wanted each article, they had to read one of the six scenarios that described the current living conditions. Scholars noted that as the financial stress increased, the urge to eat increased.

Researchers theorize how this is caused by the body's production of cortisol, the stress hormone. It is he who triggers the pumping of blood to the large muscles in preparation for a fight or flight response. Under stress, the signal to eat more is sent.

"This - explains Jim Swaffeld, researcher who conducted the analysis - is an evolved answer. In difficult conditions there is generally a shortage of food. Both animals and humans unconsciously perceive or pick up signals from the environment that say their conditions are getting worse. "