ABSTRACT
The simplest criterion for obesity is the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s height and weight table, which identifies an average weight range for various heights for men and women. While the diagnosis of obesity is relatively simple, it must be differentiated from other types of eating disorders in order to determine appropriate treatment. One area of psychopathology that has been suggested as relevant to obesity is the obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Perhaps the most common form of psychopathology associated with obesity is depression. Obesity has even been characterized as a defense against depression, with food serving as a kind of self-medication. Treatment for persons with a history of binge eating needs to focus on identifying and avoiding situations that trigger binges and on cultivating regular eating patterns. Treatment ranges from simply advising the patient to eat less to intensive psychotherapy to discover and work through the causes of obesity.
