Obesity was significantly associated with increased odds of mood, anxiety, alcohol use, and personality disorders compared to normal weight (ORs ranging from 1.21 to 2.08).
Cross-Sectional (n=41,654)
Is body mass index associated with psychiatric disorders?
Obesity and overweight status are significantly associated with increased odds of various psychiatric conditions, suggesting that weight loss interventions may benefit from integrating psychiatric treatment.
Effect estimate: OR 1.21-2.08
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated associations between body mass index (BMI) and psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Data from 41,654 respondents in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions were analyzed. RESULTS: After controlling for demographics, the continuous variable of BMI was significantly associated with most mood, anxiety, and personality disorders. When persons were classified into BMI categories of underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, and extremely obese, both obese categories had significantly increased odds of any mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder, as well as any personality disorder, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.21 to 2.08. Specific Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-revision IV mood and personality disorders associated with obesity included major depression, dysthmia, and manic episode (ORs, 1.45-2.70) and antisocial, avoidant, schizoid, paranoid, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders (ORs, 1.31-2.55). Compared with normal weight individuals, being moderately overweight was significantly associated with anxiety and some substance use disorders, but not mood or personality disorders. Specific anxiety disorders that occurred at significantly higher rates among all categories of persons exceeding normal weight were generalized anxiety, panic without agoraphobia, and specific phobia (ORs, 1.23-2.60). Being underweight was significantly related to only a few disorders; it was positively related to specific phobia (OR, 1.31) and manic episode (OR, 1.83), and negatively associated with social phobia (OR, 0.60), panic disorder with agoraphobia (OR, 0.40), and avoidant personality disorder (OR, 0.59). CONCLUSION: These data provide a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the association between body weight and psychiatric conditions. Interventions addressing weight loss may benefit from integrating treatment for psychiatric disorders.
Petry et al. (Mon,) conducted a cross-sectional in Psychiatric disorders (n=41,654). Body mass index (BMI) categories (overweight, obese, extremely obese, underweight) vs. Normal weight individuals was evaluated on Any mood, anxiety, alcohol use, or personality disorder (OR 1.21-2.08). Obesity was significantly associated with increased odds of mood, anxiety, alcohol use, and personality disorders compared to normal weight (ORs ranging from 1.21 to 2.08).