Psychological Aspects of Obesity: A Contemporary Review

Obesity is not in itself a psychiatric disorder, but there are a myriad of psychological factors that can impact your patients and their weight loss journey with you. Understanding these factors can help you to better support your patients. Obesity is associated with a higher prevalence of certain psychiatric disorders, although the causes of the correlation are diverse, and the great size and heterogeneity of the population of people with obesity mandates avoidance of generalizations and stereotypes. During this webinar, Patrick M. O’Neil, Ph.D., will discuss how certain psychological problems can be associated with obesity, the impact of weight loss on those psychological issues, and emerging evidence on whether new obesity medications can impact psychiatric health.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the reciprocal relationship between obesity and depression
Understand the moderators of risk for psychological disturbance in obesity
Understand the psychosocial effects of weight loss
Describe the current evidence regarding the relationship of suicidality to GLP-1 agonists

Patrick M. ONeil

About the Speaker

Patrick M. O’Neil, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with more than 40 years of experience devoted to clinical work and research in weight management and obesity. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he is Director of the longstanding multi-disciplinary MUSC Weight Management Center. Dr. O’Neil has been professionally involved in obesity since 1977, and has authored more than 100 professional publications, chapters, and presentations, primarily concerning obesity and its management. Dr. O’Neil is a longstanding active member of The Obesity Society, having served as Councilor, Vice-President and President.