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How can being overweight impact your mental health?
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How can being overweight impact your mental health?


Maintaining a healthy body weight is harder than ever in the fast-paced world of today. As a result, a lot of people battle obesity or being overweight, which can have a bad impact on their physical health. Many people are not aware of the significant effects that being overweight can have on one's mental health. Several ways that being overweight can affect your mental health will be discussed in this article, along with some helpful advice for managing both your weight and overall mental health especially designed by our healthcare experts in weight loss surgery in Gurugram.

Increased likelihood of anxiety and sadness

One of the longest-standing connections between developing sadness and anxiety is associated with obesity. Studies have shown that people who are obese or overweight are more likely to show symptoms of sadness and anxiety than people who are at a healthy weight.

There are several reasons why this can be the case.

People who are overweight, for instance, may experience stigmatisation and prejudice from others, which can result in low self-esteem and worthlessness. Furthermore, being overweight can negatively affect one's perception of one's body and self-confidence, which can further fuel sadness and anxiety.

The levels of several chemicals in the body, such as serotonin and cortisol, which are important for mood regulation, can also be impacted by fat, according to studies. This implies that being overweight may directly affect brain chemistry, raising the possibility of having mental health issues.

A lower standard of living

Your quality of life may be significantly impacted by being overweight. For instance, research has demonstrated that overweight individuals are more likely to report poorer levels of overall life satisfaction as well as lower levels of happiness with certain facets of their lives, such as their relationships and their jobs.


Being overweight might affect your physical functioning in addition to these subjective metrics, making it more difficult for you to engage in particular activities or exercises. This may exacerbate feelings of loneliness and social disengagement, both of which have a detrimental effect on mental health.

Greater likelihood of eating disorders

Despite what might seem to be the opposite, being overweight might also raise your chances of having eating disorders like bulimia or binge eating disorder. This is because those who are overweight can manage their weight without engaging in disordered eating behaviours including reducing their food intake or binge eating.

These actions may become more ingrained over time and result in the emergence of a severe eating disorder. Furthermore, studies have revealed that those who have eating disorders are more likely to also exhibit signs of anxiety and despair, underlining the intricate relationship between mental health and weight control.

How to effectively manage your weight and mental health

It is crucial to seek help if you are having issues with your weight and mental health and to look for assistance and direction from trained specialists. Here are some useful pointers that might be of assistance, strongly recommended by the top bariatric surgeons in Gurugram.

  • Focus on adopting beneficial dietary and lifestyle adjustments that can enhance your general health and well-being rather than obsessing over the number on the scale.
  • Seek support: Getting support can help you manage both your weight and your mental health, whether it comes from a therapist, a support group, a trusted friend, or a family member.
  • Self-compassion exercises: When you're dealing with your weight or mental health, it's tempting to be hard on yourself, but developing self-compassion can help you become more resilient and manage challenging emotions.
  • Make bodily movements: Regular physical activity is crucial for both mental and physical health, thus find a hobby you enjoy, and attempt to include it into your schedule regularly.
  • Concentrate on the here and now: You can stay present by engaging in mindfulness or meditation practises, when attempting to control your weight and mental health, it can be good to live in the moment and handle tension and anxiety.
  • Get enough sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night since adequate sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health.
  • Practise healthy coping strategies: When you're anxious or angry, try to discover healthy coping strategies, such as journaling, talking to a friend, or going for a walk, rather than turning to food or other unhealthy coping strategies.


Being overweight can negatively affect your mental health. However, you can improve your diet and way of life by looking for assistance. At last, always remember that your body has kept you alive in life-threatening situations and not worrying about the way it looks is the least we could do to be grateful. Your inner health and body mass index indicate your overall health. You are in good shape as long as you live a healthy lifestyle, manage your stress, and maintain a decent work-life balance. However, no need to worry about fixing the disorders as our top-notch faculties at the best hospital in Gurugram are always ready to help in any way possible.

Dr. Vinay Kumar Shaw, Head of the Department and Senior Consultant

GI, General, Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery

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