Introduction
In terms of the correlation between mental disorders and obesity, mental illness is the independent variable, while obesity is the dependent variable. The number of mental deviations is growing rapidly with world development. The problem of possible correlation is important because preventive measures are required in the case of mental abnormalities that can cause obesity. Such measures may include the involvement of the person with the illness, their family, psychotherapists, trainers, nutritionists, or any other necessary professionals worldwide. Secondary research will be conducted to identify the correlation, the purpose of which will be to answer the research question: “Do mental diseases cause obesity?”. It is suggested that deviations in psychological health can affect a person’s lifestyle and physiological problems. Due to this, mental illnesses can cause obesity.
Lack of Physical Activity
Mental health problems can lead a person to a variety of issues, including the need or personal preference for being within the home. It has been proven that people with mental disabilities tend to be less active than healthy people. This leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn can lead to physical problems and excess weight. In this study, which was conducted with 1010 participants in a sample, it was found that depending on the severity and type of mental problem, the levels of physical activity may differ. However, some of the types can have a strong effect on the desire to lead an active lifestyle (Rosenbaum, Morell, Abdel-Baki, et al., 2020). Thus, there is a positive correlation between mental illnesses and obesity.
Study of Obesity
A medical study has been conducted regarding obese patients. It was found that for 69.2% of those people who are obese, the cause is psychological deviations (Bucher Della Torre, Courvoisier, Saldarriaga, et al., 2018). Accordingly, for more than half of obese people, their difficulties in mental health became the reasons for further physical problems. This further proves the relationship in the format that mental illness can lead to overweight.
Overeating for Anxiety Relief
Moreover, for some people, food comes out as a stress reliever. This leads to overeating and weight gain. Anxiety, depression, and stress are some of the symptoms of mental illness. Common issues can also be social and emotional. To combat them, people use different methods, including medications, psychological help, or personal practices. In the case of overeating due to nervousness, the opposite effect is also possible since obesity also affects a person’s mental health and social connections (Rand, Vallis, Aston, et al., 2017).
But in the case of studying mental problems as an independent variable, based on research, it tends to entail physical issues. Thus, this study also supports the hypothesis of the study. Without professional guidance or global awareness of the problem and how to deal with it, the statistics of obese people from nervous overeating will rise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is indeed a positive relationship, since the more severe the mental problems, the more likely a person is to face the problem of obesity. Obesity can be caused by nervous overeating, lack of physical activity, and other reasons that are based on psychological illnesses. In the modern world, the number of obese people and people with mental illnesses is growing, and the relationship between them exacerbates the situation. Such problems require the intervention of professionals to eliminate possible consequences at the initial stage.
References
Bucher Della Torre, S., Courvoisier, D. S., Saldarriaga, A., Martin, X. E., & Farpour‐Lambert, N. J. (2018). Knowledge, attitudes, representations and declared practices of nurses and physicians about obesity in a university hospital: training is essential. Clinical Obesity, 8(2), 122-130. Web.
Rosenbaum, S., Morell, R., Abdel-Baki, A., Ahmadpanah, M., Anilkumar, T. V., Baie, L.,… & Ward, P. B. (2020). Assessing physical activity in people with mental illness: 23-country reliability and validity of the simple physical activity questionnaire (SIMPAQ). BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 1-12. Web.
Rand, K., Vallis, M., Aston, M., Price, S., Piccinini-Vallis, H., Rehman, L., & Kirk, S. F. (2017). It is not the diet; it is the mental part we need help with. A multilevel analysis of psychological, emotional, and social well-being in obesity. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 12(1), 1-15. Web.