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Are fat people angry?
This post title will probably lose me a lot of readers because they think I am being mean to overweight people. However, the title “Are fat people angry?” is more about getting your attention. So read on…
A recent study I read indicated that people with weight problems are up to 70% more likely to suffer from illnesses such as depression and anxiety. That is a big increase!
The FAT link between body and mind
Science is now exploring the link between the mind and the body in many ways. I recently wrote about the impact Buddhism is having on science here.
It is interesting to note that scientists are now looking more and more at how the mind is affected by the body. One area of this study that I thought would be of interest to readers is the fact that people with more fat are more likely to suffer a mental illness such as depression, stress, etc.
This fact pointed out two important points to me that we all need to be aware of:
- The mind is profoundly connected to and effected by the body; and
- The mind is effected by how the body looks and feels.
What I mean by this is that it seems that many of the problems overweight people have are both causes by physical and mental factors. For example, an overweight woman may hate her body which leads her to have a depressed state of mind and at the same time the biology of being overweight is causing her to be depressed. It is a double whammy.
Exercise and diet and getting happy
If being fat can cause you to feel and become depressed then surely exercise and diet and getting fit can do the opposite? We all know that when you exercise the chemicals that are released into your blood cause you to have feelings of wellbeing and happiness and this can lead to increased immune function and other health benefits.
Not only that, but looking good can have a positive effect on the mind. We feel more confident and more able to face daily life situations that would otherwise get us down in the dumps.
Conclusion
I’m not goint to get all Tom Cruise on you and say that people with depression just need a brisk walk. That is rubbish. However, I do strongly advocate the benefits that exercise, sunlight and a good diet can have on depressed people. A friend of mine spent years in bed with severe depression. When a doctor finally made her get out and walk the dog each day within a matter of weeks we saw a new person.
This post was partly inspired by a thread over at the Real Women’s Fitness Forum where nessajane asked whether being fit makes you sexy.
Comments on this article:
| Rick said: | Thanks for posting this. I recently blogged about the link between weight control and mental health. My basic, non-clinical premise is that if you can get a handle on one, you have a better chance of getting a handle on the other. That's certainly been true for me. |
| pat said: | Hi, I am 57 160 lbs, maybe 10 lbs overweight. But I have a neighbor lady 42 yrs old..she weighs at least 250 or more she is so unhappy. I can see it in her face. People are so rude to live around, she also has a sister that lives near by...they make all these comments about the neighbors and I hear them. Simply..because they bake cupcakes and drink 1 gallon of ice tea a day in the summer with sugar. |
