Obesity and Comorbid Mental Disorders

Overweight and obesity are widespread and are associated with a significant increase in health risk. Against the background of a gene-environment interaction, the etiology of obesity is multifactorial, with hyperalimentation and physical inactivity, as expressions of the rapid technological progress of recent decades, playing a major role in the pandemic spread of obesity. The prevalence of mental disorders is particularly increased in women with obesity. Although phylogenetically meaningful, an environment that associates slimness with beauty, health, and physical and mental performance leads to the stigmatization of people with obesity (Carl et al. 2018). The consequence is psychological symptoms and mental disorders. Conversely, psychological problems up to the full manifestation of a mental disorder can lead to changes in eating and exercise behavior, the result of which is a persistent positive energy balance with overweight and obesity.