Eating behavior and obesity in bipolar disorder

Objectives: Individuals with bipolar disorder are more frequently overweight or obese than the general population, but the reasons for this association are unknown. The aim of this study is to further understand the etiology of overweight and obesity in bipolar disorder.

Methods: We invited patients in a specialty outpatient bipolar clinic to complete the Eating Inventory. Patients provided self-reported restraint, disinhibition, and perceived hunger as well as general perceptions of dietary intake.

Results: Sixty-two individuals (37 female) between the ages of 18 and 67 (M = 41.5, SD = 13.38) and with an average body mass index (BMI) of 27.18 (SD = 5.71) completed the survey. Disinhibition and perceived hunger were positively correlated with BMI and self-reported difficulty eating healthy foods. Restraint was positively correlated with healthy eating (ps < .05). Stepwise linear regressions revealed that hunger was the most significant predictor of BMI (F(1) = 8.134, p = .006). Those participants with bipolar I or II disorder reported greater hunger scores (p < .01) and difficulty eating healthily (p < .05) than those without a full diagnosis.

Conclusions: These results suggest that disinhibition and perception of hunger may be linked to the disproportionately high rate of obesity in bipolar disorder.