How Mental Health Is Impacted By Being Overweight

Being overweight can have a profound effect on your mental health. Obesity (the clinical term for an overweight condition) is often associated with emotional issues including sadness, anxiety, and depression. A 2010 study found that overweight people have a 55 percent greater risk for depression. Additionally, according to the CDC, 43 percent of adults with clinical depression are obese. Being overweight can also affect your self esteem and happiness.

Childhood & Adult Obesity

Mental health issues can start early. Children who are obese often become obese teens and adults. As overweight children they may become the targets of bullying, leading to psychological trauma in the form of low self esteem, paranoia and eating disorders like anorexia. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics "obese children have lower self esteem and self confidence than their thinner peers." Physically they suffer from juvenile diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even early onset arthritis. Once this pattern starts as a child it can be difficult to break as an adult.

How To Help Your Overweight Child & Yourself

The average person spends less than 10 minutes a day performing physical activity. We've grown up in front of the TV, laptop or playing video games and live life through our cell phones. We need more physical activity and that physical activity is good for body, mind and soul! If you want to make a change in a child's life, as an adult, you must be a great role model. Turn off the TV and put down your own electronic devices and go outside. Get yourself and your family moving. Move more and eat better - the first steps to raising a healthy, fit and happy child.

Why Is This Problem Exploding?

Obesity is growing exponentially worldwide as a result of changes in diet and physical activity. We now eat more refined food, sugar and fat. Urban areas now have fast food restaurants on every corner and growing numbers of obese children and adult customers. As obesity reaches epidemic numbers, so do the associated mental health issues; anxiety, depression and low self esteem. Those who are overweight or obese become caught in a vicious cycle whereby their poor diet and lack of regular exercise increases their weight and depressive symptoms.

What to Do About Obesity?

If you're struggling and looking to make a change, the 5+1 program is a great place to start. It's not just a fad diet program, but rather a program focused on helping you gain control of your diet. The plan is built around helping you to make better choices while your on the program, but also making life long changes after you've achieved your weight loss goals. If you'd like to know more feel free to reach out to me and I would be glad to talk about how you can take control of your health.