This article was published on August 8, 2022.
Obesity is not a mental disorder but it is associated in many ways with several mental disorders.
Obesity is not a mental disorder
Obesity is NOT included in the DSM-5 classification of mental disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
This is how DSM-5 explains why:
“A range of genetic, physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors that vary across individuals contributes to the development of obesity; thus, obesity is not considered a mental disorder” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
But there are several ways in which obesity and mental disorders are associated with each other and/or affect each other. DSM-5 notes that “… there are robust associations between obesity and a number of mental disorders (e.g., binge-eating disorder, depressive and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia)” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Here are just two obvious examples:
1. Some psychiatric medications lead to weight gain, which can be substantial in some persons.
2. Persons with obesity are more likely to also have certain mental disorders, for example, depressive disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Rajan TM, Menon V. Psychiatric disorders and obesity: A review of association studies. J Postgrad Med. 2017 Jul-Sep;63(3):182-190. doi: 10.4103/jpgm.JPGM_712_16. PMID: 28695871; PMCID: PMC5525483.
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References
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.
Rajan TM, Menon V. Psychiatric disorders and obesity: A review of association studies. J Postgrad Med. 2017 Jul-Sep;63(3):182-190. doi: 10.4103/jpgm.JPGM_712_16. PMID: 28695871; PMCID: PMC5525483.
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