OBESITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

 In medical terms, obesity is the excess amount of body weight. The cause and effects of obesity could differ based on the age, medical condition and environment. There could be various reasons for obesity depending upon the age. The most common reasons for obesity could be genetics, improper diet, lack of physical activity, sedentary life style and  certain medical conditions.

Obesity could adversely affect both physical and mental health. It could lead to a number of physical ailments such as Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, Thyroid, High levels of LDL, certain cancers, heart disease, liver damage, arthritis etc.

Obesity also affects mental health adversely. The impact could be different at different stages of a person’s life. In childhood the person could go through fear of being ridiculed or bullied. This could lead to anxiety, low self confidence and low self-esteem. Impressions and insecurities during childhood are long lasting and could impact self-image of a child which could continue through adulthood.

Then again, during adolescence, puberty, physiological and hormonal changes could lead to obesity. During this period, self-image  and self-identity play a major role. Teenagers are conscious about their appearance and experience “Imaginary audience”. They might go through stress and anxiety if they think they are overweight and how people perceive them. They could  be paranoid about how they look, what they should eat,  what they wear and the friends they have. It could affect their social- emotional wellbeing to a great degree. It could also lead to eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, substance abuse, bipolar disorder and depression in worst cases. It could also be due to peer pressure and body shaming.

Both men and women tend to gain weight post marriage and if they don’t take precautions it could lead to obesity. Women may not be able to shed the extra weight gained during pregnancy and might reach a level of obesity. This could affect their mental health. They might feel, demotivated, stressed and anxious. As they enter their  50s, during menopause women tend to gain weight and find it very  difficult  to shed the  extra pounds. As they grow older they become more conscious of their health which itself is very stressful and may lead to anxiety, depression and Alzheimer’s.

Obesity can be prevented and reversed by practising a healthy life style through proper diet, regular physical activity and relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, mindfulness to combat stress and anxiety.

Kalyani Garimella

Counselling Psychologist

Clover Learning Center

Hyderabad