Enduring a stressful family life can have a negative impact on teenagers' waistlines, a new study warns.

The research reveals the impact three common stress points can have on a child's weight.

But as scientists at the University of Maryland discovered, the trigger points were different depending on whether a child was male or female.

The study looked at the effect of family disruption, experienced by a child after a parent got divorced, remarried, put in jail or if the child experienced a violent crime or death of a loved one.

Financial stress was defined as a measure of poverty determined by whether a mother was unemployed or failed to finish high school.

A new study has found teenage girls are more likely to be obese or overweight by the time they are 18 if they have experienced their parents' divorce, a parent remarrying, financial stress or the death of a loved one

Finally, maternal poor health was measured as whether or not the child's mother was a binge drinker, drug user or suffered depression.

Teenage girls were more likely to be overweight or obese if they had experienced financial stress or family disruption.

Meanwhile teenage boys were more susceptible to their mothers' poor health.

Assistant professor Daphne Hernandez, said: 'Experiencing family stress, specifically family disruption and financial stress, repeatedly throughout childhood was associated with overweight or obesity by the time adolescent girls turned 18.

She noted interestingly, only one family stress point, maternal poor health, impacted negatively on teenage boys' weight prior to turning 18.

Dr Hernandez, said: 'Overall, the findings suggest that female and male adolescents respond differently to stress.

'The study extends our knowledge of stress and obesity by focusing on the family environment over time.

'By knowing the types of stressors that influence female and male adolescent weight gain, we can tailor specific social services to be included in obesity prevention programmes.'

Researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to examine the effect of the three family stress points.

They examined data relating to 4,700 adolescents born between 1975 and 1990.

Exposure to these family factors from birth until age 15, then looked at their weight at age 18.

Dr Hernandez told Time she believes the weight gain seen in stressed teenagers is the result of physiological and behavioural responses.

Adolescent boys, meanwhile, were more likely to gain weight if their mother was suffering depression or if their mother was a drug user or binge drinker

The body secretes cortisol when a person is stressed, she said, which if chronic, suppresses the body's ability to feel full.

'Behaviourally, you then gravitate more towards the more palatable foods, the high calories, high fat foods, so you're not reaching for that apple or celery stick,' she said.

Furthermore, she said, the pattern appeared more prevalent in girls.

Dr Hernandez said the findings are important, in particular to school-based obesity prevention programmes that currently focus on dietary intake and physical activity, which she said yields only short-term benefits.

'These programs need to take a broader approach to combating obesity by helping families experiencing these kinds of stressors find access to mental health programs, financial assistance or family counselling,' she said.

'Developing strategies to help with family stressors during childhood may help children maintain healthy weight into adulthood.'