Psychogenic risks of obesity

Abstract

Background. In many textbooks, the risk factors of obesity, the pathogenesis, how it affects the organ systems, are addressed, and less are analyzed the psychogenic risks of obesity on patients. Materials and methods. The study was carried out based on 30 bibliographic sources from the databases: NCBI, PubMed, EMRO, Medscapes. Results. The disease of obesity is associated with a significant psychosocial burden. Many individuals who have obesity also struggle with issues related to their mood, self-esteem, quality of life, and body image. This emotional distress likely plays a role in treatment seeking but also can impact successful treatment. With reference to the Republic of Moldova, 56% of adults (18 years +) are overweight, including 23% are obese. And the summary report data of the study assessing the health behaviors of school-age children (2014) show that 11% of children are overweight, including 2.2% – obese. Previous research suggests a relationship between excess body weight and depression. Persons with extreme obesity, for example, are almost five times more likely to have experienced an episode of major depression in the past year as compared with those of average weight. Disordered eating is common among persons with obesity. Many patients presenting for weight loss treatment report that they engage in eating for emotional reasons; others report having difficulty controlling the frequency of their eating, portion sizes. Obesity also negatively impacts health-related quality of life. Individuals often report significant difficulties with physical and occupational functioning. Persons who are obese are frequently subjected to discrimination in several settings, including educational, employment, and even health care settings. This persons are less likely to complete high school, are less likely to marry, and typically earn less money compared with persons of average body weight. A small minority of individuals with obesity actively abusing substances. Approximately 10% of candidates with obesity report a history of illicit drug use or alcoholism, a percentage higher than seen in the general population. Conclusions. Knowledge of the psychogenic risks of obesity is of significant importance in taking preventive measures and appropriate treatment of patients.