Stomach fat poses a greater risk to health than any other type of fat placement. Men are more likely to store fat around their stomach than women, however in mid-life women are more vulnerable to these fat deposits because of hormone changes. Younger women are at risk of stomach fat or truncal obesity when they suffer from hormone imbalances and diseases such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and diabetes. Truncal obesity is also a side-effect of some steroid and cortical steroid medications. Stomach fat can also occur as a result of stress. Cortisol is a hormone released during periods of high stress and it stimulates fat storage around the abdomen. In a study of sixty women conducted by Yale University it was found that as stress increased so did stomach fat.