No, obesity is not a form of depression, but they are closely linked in a complex, bidirectional relationship where one can increase the risk and severity of the other, often through shared biological pathways like inflammation and stress responses, as well as psychological factors like stigma, poor body image, and emotional eating. People with obesity are more likely to develop depression, and those with depression have a higher risk of obesity, creating a cycle.
More than half of depressed patients display negative feedback dysfunction of the HPA axis, including chronic increases in circulating GC and ACTH [133]. Chronic stress and stress hormones such as glucocorticoids trigger metabolic changes, including obesity and diabetes.
Socially stressful and traumatic life events, limited access to resources such as food, housing, and health care, and a lack of social support all contribute to depression risk.
Class III obesity, formerly known as morbid obesity, is a complex chronic disease in which you have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher. The BMI scale isn't always accurate. So, healthcare providers may use other tests and tools to assess obesity.
The good news is that obesity is by no means irreversible, and it is not something that is likely to immediately impact your health.
The traditional diet in Japan is built around a base of rice and other grains, with plentiful consumption of vegetables and fruits, and also fish, but relatively little animal fat, meat and sweets. In Japan, the presentation of the food is very important, and particular attention is given to the colors and textures.
West Virginia topped WalletHub's 2025 ranking of the most overweight and obese states in the U.S., published Nov. 4, while Colorado is the healthiest-weight state.
Ozempic is typically recommended for individuals who have a BMI of 30 or higher, which falls into the obese category, or for those with a BMI of 27 or higher who have additional health concerns such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol.
Living with obesity can also increase your risk of developing many potentially serious health conditions, including: type 2 diabetes. high blood pressure. high cholesterol and atherosclerosis (where fatty deposits narrow your arteries), which can lead to coronary heart disease and stroke.
The term of adiposopathy clearly defines the pathogenic role of adipose tissue. Four phenotypes of obesity have been described, based on body fat composition and distribution: (1) normal weight obese; (2) metabolically obese normal weight; (3) metabolically healthy obese; and (4) metabolically unhealthy obese.
The "3 Cs of Depression" often refers to either the Cognitive Triad (negative views of self, world, and future) or the Cognitive Restructuring technique (Catch, Check, Change negative thoughts) used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to manage depressive thinking, with Catching, Checking, and Changing helping individuals identify, question, and replace unhelpful thought patterns.
There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression.
For example, people with depression are more likely to experience obesity and people with obesity are more likely to experience depression. High rates of obesity have been studied in populations with mood disorders, schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and trauma.
Losing weight also improves many of the chronic conditions that can contribute to depression and other mental illnesses, which can lead to reducing or removing medications for treating those issues. The improvement in this case does increase with the amount of weight you lose and keep off.
Losing weight can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke as well as risk factors such as high blood pressure, glucose (blood sugar) and sleep apnea. It can also help lower your total cholesterol, triglycerides and raise “good” cholesterol — also known as HDL.
Liver Disease: Obesity is the major cause for fatty liver and non-alcoholic liver disease. Most people with severe obesity have fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease can cause scarring of the liver, resulting in worsened liver function, and this can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
BMI categories for adults 20 and older:
They are in the obese range (BMI is 30 or more) if they are 174 pounds or more. A person who is 5 ft. 10 in. tall is in the overweight range (BMI is 25 to 29) if they weigh between 174 and 202 pounds. They are in the obese range (BMI is 30 or more) if they are 209 pounds or more.
"Ozempic hands" is a slang term for the visible changes in hands due to rapid fat loss from GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, making them look thinner, bonier, and more aged with prominent veins, tendons, and thinner skin, as subcutaneous fat diminishes and skin doesn't fully contract quickly. It's not a formal diagnosis but a common cosmetic effect of significant weight loss, similar to "Ozempic face".
Healthcare professionals may also prescribe Ozempic off-label to help people who don't have diabetes lose weight, but the medication is not FDA approved for this purpose. As a result, many health insurance companies won't cover Ozempic for chronic weight management.
Most people taking Ozempic see big changes within the first 2 to 6 months depending on the dosage adjustments. Patients can expect 2 to 6 lb per month weight loss and a total of 10 to 15% or body weight loss for the period of 6 to 12 months.
The most well-known is ghrelin, the 'hunger hormone', which is mainly secreted by the stomach. If you don't sleep enough, levels of that hormone will be higher, and you will feel hungrier and consume more calories. Over the long term, this leads to weight gain.
American Samoa – Leading the global rankings with an unprecedented 70.3 percent obesity rate, American Samoa faces the world's most severe obesity crisis among its adult population. 2. Nauru – This Pacific island nation records a 69.7 percent obesity prevalence, making it the second most affected country globally.
Percentage of obese U.S. adults by state 2023
The states with the lowest percentage of their population who are obese include Colorado, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.