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© Peter RealiWeight problem: Stress activates a gene which affects the metabolism and contributes to our cravings for sweet, fatty foods, according to a new study.
Most people trying to lose weight know it's a case of eating less and moving more.

But weight-watchers may also do well to cut down on the stress in their lives if they want to drop a few pounds.

New research has found that that high levels of anxiety can cause people to become obese.

The Israeli study found that stress activates a gene which affects the metabolism and contributes to our cravings for sweet, fatty foods.

Dr Alon Chen, a neuro-endocrinologist at the Weizmann Institute, said: 'We showed that the actions of a single gene in just one part of the brain can have profound effects on the metabolism of the whole body.'

Few people lead stress-free lives these days which may, say experts, account for the rise in obesity triggered by the stress gene.

It starts with the pressure to fit in at school at five, pass exams, get into a good university, pay off student loans, meet mortgage payments - and before you know it, you're worrying about university fees for the children.

'Stress is definitely influencing every system in the body,' said Dr Chen. 'It's not just causing anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder but is influencing metabolic syndromes such as obesity.'

In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers discovered a 'stress switch' that can lead to both obesity and diabetes.

The scientists created their own method for changing the activity of the gene on the brain, causing it to release varied amounts of a protein called Ucn3.

They discovered that increased levels of Ucn3 caused anxiety and changes in metabolism.

With increased levels of Ucn3, the bodies of mice used more sugar and less fatty acids and metabolic rates increased, showing the first stages of type 2 diabetes.

Dr Chen added: 'Until now, the lines drawn between stress, appetite and anxiety were pointed out, but never fully explained.

'This new research may be the important missing link that can help drug developers create drugs targeting stress that could have multiple side-benefits, like preventing diabetes, promoting heart health and keeping our weight down.'