Here’s the thing: the food you eat affects your mood, but what you eat is also influenced by what mood you are in.

This creates a circular effect that can lead to extremes on either side. For example, you’ve probably indulged yourself with that not-so-healthy meal when you were in a stressful situation.

According to a new study reported in the peer reviewed journal Climacteric (3), investigators suggested that hormonal changes and resulting weight gain due to menopause is characteristic for central or abdominal obesity in addition to a substantial increase in the total body fat stores. This shift in the metabolic physiology has several physical and psychological implications; such as: