Obesity May Increase Risk Of Mental Illness
August 8, 2006 6:48 a.m. EST
Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Staff Writer
Washington, DC (AHN) - A study in the Archives of General Psychiatry reveals obesity may increase the risk of some mental illnesses, including mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders like panic or generalized anxiety disorder. At the same time, the study indicates that the risk for alcoholism and drug abuse is less with obesity.
A national survey of over 9,000 men and women was conducted to collect data. Over 2,300 had a body mass index -a measure of weight relative to height - of 30 or higher which are determiners for obesity. Interestingly enough, the obesity-psychiatric illness association was most common among whites and people with higher education levels.
The study states that background studies have shown similar findings that obesity may be linked with mood disorders: Several studies "have found associations between obesity and depressive symptoms, history of depression, and measures of psychological distress."
Lead study author Gregory Simon, a psychiatrist with Group Health Cooperative (an HMO based in Washington state), told the washingtonpost.com, "it's likely that the relationship goes in both directions." He mentioned that some drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders might also cause additional weight gain. Moreover, there could also be possible social and biological reasons for the association.
Karen Johnson, associate chairman of psychiatry at Washington Hospital Center, indicated that further study is still needed and that findings of the study should be interpreted with caution: "I don't want everyone to assume that just because you're overweight [or] obese that now you have a psychiatric condition."
Nevertheless, experts say that there are enough reasons to get a handle on weight gain.
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