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How is Mental Health Connected to Obesity?

WHAT IS OBESITY?

Obesity is defined by being a complex and chronic disease that involves excessive accumulation of body weight. It usually can lead to developing physical and mental health related problems.


SYMPTOMS OF OBESITY

  • Difficulties regarding breathing

  • Psychological changes, such as low self esteem, depression, social anxiety, lack of confidence, and feeling shameful.

  • Sleep troubles ( insomnia)

  • Varicose veins

  • Feeling exhausted without doing so much effort

  • Fatigue

  • Eating disorders

  • Large body frame

  • Lack of energy

  • Sleep apnea

  • Panic

  • Stress eating

CONNECTION TO MENTAL HEALTH

  • Obesity can lead to stigma from family , friends , professionals ( in the workplace ) , media etc.

  • Obese people are predisposed to experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic syndrome

  • Eating compulsively and excessively contributes to obesity

  • Changes in appetite caused by depression lead to accumulation of weight

  • Women who have low self-esteem are reported to have a significantly greater risk of weight gain

  • Stress felt by people can cause changes in daily nutrition, excess weight being much easier to accumulate in this case

  • Bulimia nervosa and mood disorders are experienced by obese people due to psychological pressure.

  • People with mental illness die 25 years earlier than those without mental illness due to obesity-related conditions

  • Patients with a history of ADHD have a greater chance to becoming obese

  • People who are taking psychiatric medication have a predisposition to gain weight more than people who do not take such medication

  • Poor self-imagine conducts to gaining weight

  • Binge eating disorder represents an illness which results in eating enormous quantities of food in a short amount of time - people with this kind of disorder seem to feel ashamed and experienced anxiety and depression

  • Traumatic experiences can cause weight gain

  • Depression decreases physical activity, causing patients to either increase or decrease their intake of food


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