A recent study was done to determine if stress plays a role in obesity of children. High-stress and low-stress families were studied and it appears that children of high-stress families had about twice the risk for obesity even as young as age 5. Over the study period, parents reported various stressors from serious life events such as a family accident or illness, death, divorce, financial pressures, or exposure to violence. They also reported stressors from parenting difficulties or spousal relationship issues and lack of social support.