Study: Obese women at higher risk of developing mental disorders
Obesity is a huge public health concern given its link with an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases and mental disorders.
What you need to know:
- The study, published in Translational Psychiatry, reveals that obesity increases the likelihood of developing mental disorders across all age groups, with women being at higher risk of suffering from most diseases.
- The findings demonstrate a clear association between obesity and a wide range of mental disorders, including depression, nicotine addiction, psychosis, anxiety, eating disorders, and personality disorders.
Obesity has long been associated with physical health complications, but a recent study conducted by Complexity Science Hub and the Medical University of Vienna has shed light on its significant impact on mental health as well.
The study, published in the specialist journal Translational Psychiatry, reveals that obesity increases the likelihood of developing mental disorders across all age groups, with women being at higher risk of suffering from most diseases.
Lead researcher Elma Dervic from the Complexity Science Hub explained: “We analysed a population-wide national registry of inpatient hospitalisations in Austria from 1997 to 2014 to determine the relative risks of comorbidities in obesity and identify statistically significant sex differences.”
The findings demonstrate a clear association between obesity and a wide range of mental disorders, including depression, nicotine addiction, psychosis, anxiety, eating disorders, and personality disorders. This calls for increased awareness among healthcare professionals of the psychiatric diagnoses in obese patients and early consultation with specialists when necessary, as emphasised by Michael Leutner of the Medical University of Vienna.
To understand the sequence of illness manifestations, the researchers developed a new method. Except for the psychosis spectrum, obesity was found to be the initial diagnosis before the manifestation of psychiatric disorders. This challenges the previous assumption that psychopharmacological medications were solely responsible for the association between mental disorders and obesity or diabetes.
Gender differences
The study also uncovered significant gender differences in the prevalence of these disorders. Women exhibited an increased risk of developing all disorders, except schizophrenia and nicotine addiction.
While 16.66 per cent of obese men suffered from nicotine abuse disorders, only 8.58 per cent of obese women were affected. On the other hand, the rate of diagnosed depressive episodes was nearly three times higher in obese women than in non-obese women, with a similar trend observed among men.
With obesity affecting over 670 million people globally, the findings highlight its role as a pleiotropic risk factor for health problems. Given the significant impact on mental health, the researchers stress the urgent need for thorough screening of mental health issues in obese patients. Early detection can enable prevention strategies or facilitate appropriate treatment.
The study raises important questions about the underlying mechanisms connecting obesity and mental health. It remains unclear whether obesity directly influences mental health or if the early stages of psychiatric disorders are often overlooked in obese individuals.
