Black D W, Goldstein R B, Mason E E, Bell S E, Blum N
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.
J Affect Disord. 1992 Jun;25(2):91-5. doi: 10.1016/0165-0327(92)90071-d.
The authors systematically interviewed 88 bariatric clinic patients presenting for vertical banded gastroplasty. The typical subject was middle-aged, female and of low socioeconomic status as indicated by his or her method of payment. Morbidly obese subjects were more likely than a comparison group to have first-degree relatives with a history of depression, bipolar disorder, antisocial personality, and other psychiatric disorders. These data indicate that relatives of morbidly obese subjects are frequently emotionally disturbed. Reasons for the findings are discussed.
