Personality disorders and obesity: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Studies demonstrate an association between personality traits and obesity as well as their prognostic influence on weight course. In contrast, only few studies have investigated the association between personality disorders (PDs) and obesity.

Objective: The present review summarizes through a comprehensive and critical evaluation the results of 68 studies identified by database research (PubMed and PsycINFO) covering the last 35 years that investigated the association between PDs, overweight and obesity as well as the predictive value of PDs for the development of obesity and the effectiveness of weight reduction treatments.

Results: Adults with any PD have a higher risk of obesity. In the female general population, there is an association between avoidant or antisocial PD and severe obesity. Further, women with paranoid or schizotypal PD have a higher risk of obesity. Clinical studies including foremost female participants showed a higher comorbidity of PDs, especially borderline PD and avoidant PD, in binge-eating disorder. Regarding both genders, patients with PD show less treatment success in conservative weight-loss treatment programmes for obesity than patients without PD.

Conclusions: In prevention and conservative weight-loss treatment strategies, more care should be taken to address the special needs of patients with comorbid PDs.

Keywords: Obesity; overweight; personality; personality disorder.