Psychological profile of obese patients.

Nowadays obesity is recognized to be one of the greatest public health problems worldwide. There is no indication that the huge increase in obesity seen the last decades is declining. The examination of psychological aspects of persons with morbid obesity is essential. Identification of the psychological factors associated with weight loss expands our knowledge about behaviors which are crucial in order to avoid failures in treatment. Most information on this is obtained preoperatively. Although there is no single personality type characteristic of the morbidly obese, they differ from the general population as their self-esteem and impulse control is lower. They have passive dependent and passive aggressive personality traits, as well as a trend for somatization and problem denial. Their thinking is usually dichotomous and catastrophic. Obese patients also show low cooperativeness and fail to see the self as autonomous and integrated. In the morbidly obese before undergoing surgical treatment, unusual prevalence of psychopathology, namely depression and anxiety disorders, is observed. They are subject to prejudice and discrimination and should be treated with concern to help alleviate their feelings of rejection and guilt. Information on the psychological profile of obese persons is limited. Future studies are warranted, since there is a pressured need for these people to built cognitive skills and control their body weight. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.