Patients With Bipolar Disorders More Likely to Have Higher BMI, Obesity

MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Adults with bipolar disorders have a higher body mass index (BMI) and a higher prevalence of obesity than the general population, according to a study published online Sept. 20 in the The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Hemen Najar, M.D., from Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues investigated trends and distribution of body mass index (BMI) among individuals with bipolar disorders and the general population between 2008 and 2019. The analysis included 22,127 adults with bipolar disorders and 71,894 adults from the Swedish general population.

The researchers found that BMI percentiles were higher among individuals with bipolar disorders. The BMI group differences were 1.1 for men and 1.8 for women at the 50th percentile and were widest at the 85th BMI percentile (men, 2.3; women, 4.1). Over time, BMI increased in both groups, but more so in the group with bipolar disorders. The highest prevalence and the greatest rate of increase of obesity were seen among women with bipolar disorders. The obesity prevalence in 2019 was 33 percent among women and 29 percent among men with bipolar disorders versus 13 and 15 percent, respectively, among women and men in the general population.

"In addition to the general negative effects, obesity has also been linked to a poorer response to antidepressants and to treatment with lithium and valproate in individuals with bipolar disorders," Najar said in a statement. "Obesity also aggravates the overall prognosis of bipolar disorders by increasing the likelihood of relapse and the severity of episodes with oscillating mood."

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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