The health risks of obesity are well-known and are at the heart of the current battle against childhood obesity. But a new study suggests that heavy adults are also at greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders.
"Using data from a national health survey of more than 40,000 Americans, researchers found that obese adults were up to twice as likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions as normal-weight adults."
Researchers are unclear exactly what the link is between obesity and psychiatric disorders, but the use of psychiatric drugs - which can cause weight gain - was not a factor.
Labels: adults, mental_health, psychiatric_disorders