STRESSFUL jobs cause women to pile on the pounds later down the road — but not men, research suggests.

A study of more than 3,800 people found women who struggle to cope with their workloads or feel they have little control over their careers are more likely to gain weight over the next 10 to 20 years.

Feeling overwhelmed at work may demotivate women, making them more likely to be lazy or overindulge in fattening foods, the researchers claim.

Stress also triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which helps “lay down” fat around the midriff, leading to “muffin tops,” they add.

Women may be more affected than men as they often juggle “job demands and the greater responsibility for the home.”

The research was carried out by the University of Gothenburg and led by Sofia Klingberg, a researcher in community medicine and public health.

“When it came to the level of demands at work, only the women were affected,” Klingberg said.

“We haven’t investigated the underlying causes, but it may conceivably be about a combination of job demands and the greater responsibility for the home that women often assume.

“This may make it difficult to find time to exercise and live a healthy life.”

Obesity is on the rise, with 26 percent of adults in the U.K. being classified with the eating disorder in 2016, compared to just 15 percent in 1993, NHS Digital statistics show.

And more than two in three adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

The study’s participants were followed either from 30-to-50 or 40-to-60 years old. (SD-Agencies)