Does Being Labeled as Obese or Overweight Affect Your Mental Health?

If you live in a larger body, you likely know that your weight and mental health can be related. But the connection between obesity and mental health isn’t straightforward — and it often has nothing to do with your body size. 

Whether it’s a result of weight discrimination or the impact of stress on your weight, the relationship between body size and mental health is complicated. Let’s take a closer look at that relationship as well as some ways to help protect your mental health.

How can obesity affect my mental health?

Several research studies have found that body size may be linked to mood and anxiety disorders. This means that if you have a larger body size, you may be more likely to have a mental health condition like depression or anxiety.

The relationship between weight and mental health differs from person to person. For some people, emotional distress may lead to irregular eating patterns. It is natural for the human body to crave the comfort of food to cope with stress. This also means that if someone is in a constantly stressful environment — which is common for people with larger bodies — this can result in weight gain.

Emotional effects of weight 

Society’s negative attitudes about larger body sizes can also contribute to mental health issues. People who are overweight often encounter judgment or stigma from other people. They may frequently hear messaging that higher-weight people are:

• Lazy and irresponsible

• Ugly and undesirable

• Responsible for high healthcare costs

• Part of an “epidemic,” in which their body has a “disease”

Unsurprisingly, these discriminatory beliefs about people with a larger body size lead to negative feelings about one’s self. These experiences can lower self-esteem as well as contribute to other mental health symptoms. 

Fat people also experience other forms of size discrimination that increase the risk for a mental health condition. It’s not uncommon for people with a larger body size to earn less than those with a smaller body size. People with a larger body are also less likely to be promoted or hired. And income insecurity is a strong predictor of mental health issues.

What’s more, people with a larger body size may find certain activities inaccessible to them, which can make it harder to cope with negative emotions. For example, amusement park ride seats are designed too small to fit a wide range of body sizes. Or, fat passengers encounter difficulty fitting into an airline seat and face the risk of being denied flights due to body size.

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What mental health conditions are linked to obesity?

Obesity is associated with a higher risk of having certain mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders. Often, this relationship is due to the effects of weight discrimination. 

Anxiety

People with a larger body size are more likely to experience anxiety disorders. It is unknown exactly why people who have a larger body are more likely to experience anxiety. However, one explanation is that their anxiety may stem from weight discrimination.

Depression

Major depression is a mood disorder that involves sadness, loss of interest in activities or hobbies, and negative feelings about one’s self. Increased appetite and weight gain are common symptoms of depression. 

Studies on the relationship between depression and weight have found that in some cases having depression may lead to having a higher weight. In addition, many medications to treat depression contribute to weight gain or insulin insensitivity that can increase your risk for developing conditions like diabetes. And restrictive diets that lead to extreme calorie deficits likely contribute to binge eating behavior, depression symptoms, and suicidal ideation.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is another type of mood disorder that involves manic or hypomanic and depressive episodes. The specific causes for the link between bipolar disorder and weight are unknown. But like other mental health conditions, people with bipolar disorder may turn to food as a way to cope with distress. 

Another possible explanation is that medications used to treat bipolar disorder, including certain mood stabilizers, can cause side effects like increased appetite and weight gain.

Eating disorders

The hyperfocus on weight loss, the “obesity epidemic,” and restrictive dieting contribute to a higher risk for developing an eating disorder. In fact, some researchers believe dieting to lose weight “may carry more risks than benefits.” 

For example, some research suggests that up to 52% of people classified as obese in a weight loss program had binge eating disorder. Those with atypical anorexia — when a person with anorexia is not considered underweight — are often not properly diagnosed. Anorexia has a high risk of severe outcomes, including death.

Can stress cause weight gain?

Stress can contribute to weight gain and increased body fat. Some research suggests chronic high levels of the stress hormone cortisol contribute to the development of fat in the belly area. The connection may be due to genetic factors in how your body physically responds to stress.

Chronic stress also means your sympathetic nervous system is activated and on high alert much of the time. Research suggests that this activation can contribute to insulin insensitivity. Chronic stress is also associated with metabolism issues. 

Your metabolism is responsible for how your body uses and stores energy. Your body uses more energy when it’s stressed. Due to chronic stress, your metabolism adjusts how your body uses energy from the food you eat. And these changes can lead to metabolic syndrome, which can lead to gaining fat around your waist and high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Tips for improving your physical and mental health

Regardless of weight, there are many steps you can take to help protect your mental health. By making certain lifestyle changes, you can improve your mental and physical well-being. 

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet can have a positive effect on your mental health. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the body that regulates mood, sleep, and appetite. The majority of serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. This means that digestion and the foods you eat have an effect on serotonin production and therefore your mood. 

A healthy diet consists of:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains

• Protein, including meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy

• Low-fat or fat-free dairy

• Oils and healthy fats

• Limited processed foods, saturated and trans fats, sodium, and sugar

But it’s important to note that a healthy diet is not all about the contents of your food. Food also has health benefits — especially for mental health — when it brings you joy, comfort, or connection. Foods that bring you pleasure or connect you with loved ones are an important part of a healthy approach to diet.

Practice good sleep hygiene

Not getting enough sleep can negatively affect your physical and emotional health. When you don’t get enough sleep, it impacts many of your body’s functions, including metabolism. People who don’t get enough sleep also tend to eat more carbohydrate-rich foods, which can result in weight gain.

Adults should aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. To practice good sleep hygiene, be sure to:

• Stick to a consistent sleep and wake time each day.

• Exercise early in the day.

• Limit caffeine to the morning and early afternoon hours.

• Avoid bright lights and electronic devices before bed.

• Use your bed only for sleep.

• Keep your room quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature (around 65°F).

• Do a relaxing activity before bed, like meditating or taking a bath.

• Consider using white noise to promote relaxation.

If you are concerned about your sleep, be sure to speak with a medical professional. Body size and shape can also affect your risk of sleep apnea, a condition where a person stops breathing periodically during sleep. If you have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, you may need medical treatment. 

Increase healthy movement

Exercise is an important activity for your physical and mental health. Regular exercise can  decrease your risk of:

• High blood pressure

• Heart attack

• Stroke

• Type 2 diabetes

Professionals recommend that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week, which can be spread out over several days. For example, you can do 50 minutes of exercise 3 days per week or 30 minutes of exercise 5 days per week. 

Moderate exercise includes power walking, bike riding at a moderate pace, and doing yard work. 

If you are doing vigorous exercise, like running, swimming, or competitive sports, then it is recommended that you do at least 75 minutes of exercise each week. 

At the end of the day, the exact type of exercise is less important than getting physical activity that feels enjoyable and right for your body. 

Release stress

Stress is linked to many other negative health outcomes besides mental health conditions. And for some people, eating may be a way of coping with stress. It is important to find healthy ways to manage your stress.

Some things you might try include:

• Talking with a friend or family member

• Expressing your feelings through art, music, or writing

• Reading a book

• Practicing mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing

• Exercising

• Spending time in nature

If you find yourself stressed on a regular basis, you may benefit from mental health treatment like therapy or medication. Therapy or counseling can help reduce stress by teaching you healthy ways to cope with how you’re feeling. Medication can help tone down distressing mental health symptoms.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being aware of the present moment. Studies on meditation have found that it can help decrease anxiety, depression, and binge eating. Regularly practicing meditation can also help reduce emotional eating by making you more aware of what and how you eat.

There are many different ways to practice mindfulness. If you are new to the practice, you may consider trying a guided meditation. There are many apps and videos available online that can lead you through a practice. 

You can also try a mindful eating practice. This involves slowing down the eating process by increasing your awareness. One study of mindful eating found that it was linked to decreased stress, depression, and binge eating. You can practice mindful eating in a few simple steps:

• Find a quiet space to eat that is free from distractions.

• Start by taking a few deep and intentional breaths before your meal.

• Tune into your senses by noticing what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.

• Continue to notice your senses as you take a bite of food and slowly chew.

• Bring awareness to which foods do — and do not — bring you pleasure and make you feel full.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified perinatal mental health professional with over 10 years of clinical experience.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you’re not alone, and help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.