Deakin: Dr Anne Turner from Deakin University says that it is the perfect time for men
who are carrying a few extra kilos to make some positive changes. A recent study published in
BMC
Obesity found that men who had a higher level of body fat actually had a
higher stress hormone response in their body after eating a standardised lunch,
compared to lean men. "We found that men who were even
moderately overweight or obese had a higher cortisol or stress hormone response
to eating the lunch than lean men.
"This isn't like the stress that
we get from busy lives and financial pressures; it is our body's physical
response when we eat food. Eating places a demand on our body and we usually
eat a meal three times a day, so it is important to understand how our body
reacts when we eat food and just what influence body fat may have.
"If overweight or obese men's
bodies react this way after every meal, they may be at increased risk of
developing stress-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and
metabolic syndrome in the long term," said Dr Turner.
The 36 men in the study were aged
between 50 to 70 years. They provided saliva samples and had their blood
pressure and heart rate checked before the meal and regularly in the two hours during
and following the lunch. The test meal made by the participants themselves, was
22 per cent protein, 53 per cent carbohydrates and 25 percent fat and included
bread, margarine, processed meat (ham or chicken), tomato, cucumber, cheese,
nuts, fruit bars and a fruit juice drink and water.
Dr Turner said the lunch in the
study is similar to the average Australian meal for men (22 per cent protein,
45 per cent carbohydrate and 32 per cent fat) as reported in the 1995 National
Nutrition Survey.
"The results of our study do
suggest that even a very normal lunch can elicit a significant stress hormone response
in overweight or obese men and if this happens on a regular basis it may lead
to health concerns for these men.
"This research gives men one more
reason to be shedding any extra kilos they may be carrying and Men's Health
Week is the ideal time to consider making changes for better health," she said.
C-PAN's work in physical activity
and nutrition is leading the world globally in numerous areas including
research into disadvantaged communities, children's health and healthy ageing.