Psychology of Obesity: A Brief Introduction
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Psychology of Obesity: A Brief Introduction

Some researchers believe there is a relationship between mental and emotional health and obesity and admit that it is a very complex topic. There are also those who find no clear association between mental health and weight, and it’s true that most obese people don’t qualify for a psychiatric diagnosis. To this day, the American Psychiatric Association has not regarded overeating or excess weight as a psychiatric disorder, besides Binge Eating disorder. This truly is a complicated topic.

Obesity Defined

What exactly qualifies as “obese”? If the Body Mass Index is used as a frame of reference, then having a very high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass or BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese according to the CDC. Some experts argue that the BMI is outdated, has been used for over 100 years and simply doesn’t accurately measure body composition. Technically, the BMI is a measure of a person’s weight in relation to his or her height, specifically their weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters.

Some Statistics

According to the CDC, 40% of Americans are considered obese, which means that 70 million – 35 million men and 35 million women are obese. Another 100 million are considered overweight. These numbers, when added up, make up roughly half of the nation’s population. Each year, almost 300,000 deaths are due to obesity-related conditions like heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Over 15% of American children are obese and the rate of type 2 diabetes is on the rise as a result. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent annually to treat obesity-related disorders.

The Psychology-Obesity Connection

Some studies show that people who are depressed are more likely to develop a metabolic syndrome like insulin resistance, high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, and high cholesterol, that often accompanies excess weight, especially when it is deposited around the waist. Studies also show that foods high in fat, sugar and calories lower the body’s response to chronic stress. Some individuals may eat more during times of stress and use food as comfort when they are sad, lonely, angry or suffering low self-esteem.

Complexity of the Relationship

The relationship between obesity and emotions is further complicated by the fact that obesity can lead to poor health, which in turn can negatively impact one’s mental and emotional well-being. Poor health is associated with depression and anxiety, for instance. Overweight people are also more likely to lose the psychological benefits gained from exercise. Social stigma and weight discrimination can cause further stress, anxiety and depression. These problems may be more severe when the individual feels out of control and engages in self-blame.

Final Thoughts on Psychology of Obesity

The relationship between mental health and obesity may very well be a “which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” topic. While researchers cannot agree whether there is a direct relationship between psychology and weight, there does seem to be a few things that make sense, such as mood and eating behavior. Time and more research are definitely needed to make this topic less complicated and more simply understood.

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