Anti-Obesity Day: How Obesity Takes A Toll On Your Mental Health, And Tips To Manage It

On Anti-Obesity Day, it is essential to consider that the condition is much more than just a physical challenge; it has a deep impact on mental health. The relationship between obesity and psychological distress is complicated; sometimes, the emotional vulnerabilities of a person predispose them to weight gain, and at other times, excess weight escalates mental health problems.

Psychological Impact Of Obesity

The psychological basis of obesity is strongly embedded in emotional, cognitive, and behavioural aspects. According to Dr Ajay Agarwal, Chairman, Internal Medicine, Fortis Noida, stress and emotional turmoil more often than not make people turn to food for solace. This emotional eating forms a vicious cycle in which temporary gratification is followed by weight gain and guilt coupled with overwhelming shame, further reinforce negative emotive states.

The challenges are further compounded by the pervasive pressure from society and by the intense stigma that surrounds obesity. This stigma itself contributes to social isolation, low self-esteem and poor body image, and anxiety and depression.

As Roshni Sondhi Abbi, Head, Psychological Services, Adayu, a Fortis Network Hospital, observes, this trend is especially serious among children and adolescents, where obesity is associated with bullying, reduced engagement in school, and a diminished quality of life, which can have long-lasting emotional impacts.

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The Link Between Obesity and Mood Disorders

The evidence from epidemiology supports a significant association between physical weight and mental state. Individuals living with obesity have 18% to 55% increased odds of developing depression. On the other hand, depressed individuals have a 37% to 58% heightened risk for obesity, according to research.

This dual burden is reflected globally: The DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) rates for both anxiety disorder and depressive disorder rose by more than 16%, from 2010 to 2021, running in tandem with the rise of obesity-driven diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.

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Managing the Co-Occurring Conditions

Effective management of obesity has to be holistic in approach, addressing both the physical and emotional perspectives.

Clinical Psychological Assessment

According to Dr Agarwal, a full psychological assessment should be conducted for all patients where intensive interventions such as bariatric surgery are recommended. This psychological assessment should include:

Clinical Interview: History of weight, including past weight patterns and fluctuations; current eating patterns; understanding of changes in lifestyle needed; psychiatric history, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use.

Psychological Testing: This involves utilising standardised assessments, such as the MMPI-3 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3) and MBMD (Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic), in assessing underlying psychological health.

Assessment of Psychological Factors: Evaluation of self-motivation, self-efficacy, self-control, and expectations about the treatment outcomes.

Therapeutic and Medical Treatments

Managing comorbidities involves the integration of supportive therapies with pharmacotherapy.

Therapy: Other options include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based Interventions, which help individuals identify triggers, break unhealthy eating patterns, and improve goal consistency.

Medications for Obesity: Semaglutide, Liraglutide, and Phentermine/topiramate are FDA-approved weight management medications that may be helpful.

Psychiatric Medications: SSRIs, SNRIs, and atypical antidepressants are prescribed for co-occurring depression and anxiety.

Another new approach recently attracting interest involves the use of rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). This operates by stimulating DLPFC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and has shown promise in reducing food intake in addition to improving symptoms associated with treatment-resistant depression, thus offering a powerful tool for simultaneous treatment.

Fighting Obesity and Preserving Mental Health

Fighting obesity is successful only if individuals recognise that they have a dual condition. The most promising approach links proper nutrition and regular physical activity with structured psychological support. If the intimate interrelation between mind and body is realised, then one will be able to interrupt the vicious cycle of emotional eating and stigma, which leads to sustained health improvement and better emotional well-being.

Image courtesy: Freepik

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