Effect of obesity on mood regulation and eating attitudes in mental disorders

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The precise relationship between obesity and eating habits, attitudes, and emotion regulation is still ambiguous. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlations among body mass index, challenges related to managing emotions, and attitudes toward eating among adult participants with known psychiatric diagnoses. METHODS: The body mass indices of participants were calculated, and data on eating styles were collected using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. The level of difficulty in managing emotions was evaluated using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. RESULTS: The research findings indicated a meaningful positive association. An observation was made between body mass index and results from the Eating Attitude Test-40, as well as the restrained eating subdimension of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Conversely, a meaningful reverse relationship was identified between the scores of the "strategies" subdimension of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. No meaningful differences in eating attitudes and emotion regulation were found between non-obese and obese patients. CONCLUSION: While a partial and meaningful correlation was observed among body mass index, eating attitudes, and emotion regulation difficulties, it is suggested that factors such as patients’ age, disease duration, current body mass index, and the simultaneous presence of depression and anxiety should be considered.