The Freshman fifteen isn’t only linked to late-night pizza runs. A study in Scientific Reports shows that stress plays a large role in weight gain and this can be seen by the differing gut microbiota in high-stress mice, especially female mice.  Stress affects this gut microbiota the same way that continually eating high fatty foods does.1 Stress can play a large role in weight gain; understanding this link between diet and stress could help younger people avoid gaining weight, especially women.  Women are more inclined to experience stress-related weight gain due to higher rates of stress and anxiety.2  College students are a large group that undergo mass amounts of stress in four plus years, and oftentimes gain weight.  This weight gain can be blamed on diet and alcohol, but the amount of stress college students undergo should not be ignored.  For stressed people, eating a high fat, western diet is a recipe for weight gain and other long-term health problems.3 The link between stress, diet, and weight gain is something hard to avoid as a college student but a proper diet can improve gut microbiota composition.4 Engaging in activities that lower overall stress such as yoga or meditation along with a healthy diet can be one way to avoid unwanted weight gain. 


1. Bridgewater LC, Zhang C, Wu Y, Hu W, Zhang Q, Wang J, Li S, Zhao L. Gender-based differences in host behavior and gut microbiota composition in response to high fat diet and stress in a mouse model. Scientific Reports. 2017;7(1):10776. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-11069-4
2. Qiao Y, Sun J, Ding Y, Le G, Shi Y. Alterations of the gut microbiota in high-fat diet mice is strongly linked to oxidative stress. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2013;97(4):1689–1697. doi:10.1007/s00253-012-4323-6
3. Zhao L. The gut microbiota and obesity: from correlation to causality. Nature Reviews. Microbiology; London. 2013;11(9):639–47. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3089
4. Cryan JF, Dinan TG. Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience; London. 2012;13(10):701–12. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/10.1038/nrn3346

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