Abstract
Background: The relationship between obesity and common mental health disorders is complex. Because of the high prevalence of both depression and obesity and the fact that they both carry an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, a potential association between depression and obesity has been presumed and repeatedly been examined.
Aim: To estimate the prevalence and correlates of obesity among psychiatric patients in Abha city, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology:A descriptive cross-sectional approach was followed to include 250 patients attending the Psychiatry Hospital in Abha City, Saudi Arabia. Collected data included patients' demographic data, medical history, and received medications. Patients' body mass index (BMI) was assessed. Psychiatric history was extracted from patients' medical files for diagnosis and profile.
Results: Participant patients' age ranged from 18 to 75 years, with a mean age of 40.9 +/- 15.9 years. Normal weight was recorded among 37.2% of the sample and 27.6% of the patients had overweight while 35.2% were obese. Depression was the most frequently recorded psychiatric disease (40.4%) followed by anxiety (22.8%). There were significant associations between obesity and both depression and anxiety.
Conclusions and recommendations: Obesity is significantly associated with depression and other psychiatric diseases, while negatively associated with anxiety and obsessive convulsive disorder (OCD).