Bipolar Disorder Daily News Blog

Study Says Obesity, Mood Disorders Linked

A new study reports that Dr. Gregory E. Simon and his colleagues, from the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, surveyed 9,125 adults across the US from 2001 to 2003 in a national study on mental disorders. They found there is a 25% increased risk in developing mood and anxiety disorders, and a 25% decreased risk for substance abuse in those suffering from obesity.

They were questioned about demographics, physical attruibutes like height and weight, as well as psychological/psychiatric disoders (which included substance abuse).

2,330 of the participants matched the criteria for obesity (a Body Mass Index >30), and showed an increase in mood and anxiety disorders and a decrease in substance abuse compared to those who did not meet the obesity criteria.

But these are only correlations (relationships), and do not denote cause and effect. Therefore it is uncertain whether one causes the other, or a completely different third factor is the cause.

Read Full Story:

Study Says Obesity, Depression Linked Seattle times (www.seattletimes.com) July 4, 2006.

Link to Abstract:

Association Between Obesity and Psychiatric Disorders in the US Adult Population. Archives of General Psychiatry (http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/) July 2006.

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