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. 2024 Mar;48(3):423-432.
doi: 10.1038/s41366-023-01449-4. Epub 2024 Jan 9.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults with overweight or obesity and mental health disorders

Angela Galler #  1 , Angelika Thönnes #  2 , Jens Joas  3 , Christine Joisten  4 , Antje Körner  5 , Thomas Reinehr  6 , Markus Röbl  7 , Gerd Schauerte  8 , Wolfgang Siegfried  9 , Daniel Weghuber  10 , Susann Weihrauch-Blüher  11 , Susanna Wiegand  12 , Reinhard W Holl  13   14 , Nicole Prinz  13   14 ; APV Initiative
Affiliations

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults with overweight or obesity and mental health disorders

Angela Galler et al. Int J Obes (Lond). 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Mental disorders are important comorbidities in youth with obesity. Aim was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of youth with overweight or obesity having comorbid mental disorders.

Methods: Data from children, adolescents, and young adults (age 6-30 years) with overweight or obesity and mental disorders (depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorder, attention deficit disorder (ADHD)) from 226 centers in Germany and Austria participating in the Adiposity Patient Registry (APV) were analyzed and compared with those without reported mental disorders using regression modeling.

Results: Mental health comorbidity was reported in a total of 3969 out of 114,248 individuals with overweight or obesity: 42.5% had ADHD, 31.3% anxiety disorders, 24.3% depression, and 12.9% eating disorders. Being male (OR 1.39 (95%CI 1.27;1.52)), of older age (1.42 (1.25;1.62)), or with extreme obesity (1.45 (1.30;1.63)) were most strongly associated with mental health comorbidity. Regression analysis showed that mean BMI-SDS was significantly higher in the group of individuals with depression and eating disorders (BMI-SDS 2.13 (lower; upper mean:2.09;2.16) and 2.22 (2.17;2.26)) compared to those without reported mental health comorbidity (BMI-SDS 2.008 (2.005;2.011); p < 0.001). In youth with ADHD, BMI-SDS was lower compared to those without reported mental disorders (BMI-SDS 1.91 (1.89;1.93) vs 2.008 (2.005;2.011); p < 0.001). Proportion of severe obesity was higher in individuals with depression (23.7%), anxiety disorders (17.8%), and eating disorders (33.3%), but lower in ADHD (10.3%), compared to those without reported mental disorders (13.5%, p < 0.002). Proportions of dyslipidaemia and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism were not different in youth with and without reported mental health comorbidity. BMI-SDS change after one year of lifestyle intervention program ranged between -0.22 and -0.16 and was similar in youth without and with different mental disorders.

Conclusion: Health care professionals caring for youth with overweight or obesity should be aware of comorbid mental disorders and regular mental health screening should be considered.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Odds ratios for the presence of mental disorders.
Plot showing odds ratios (OR and 95%CI) for the presence of mental disorders in relationship to demographic and clinical risk factors in children, adolescents and young adults with overweight or obesity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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