Is there a place for obesity in DSM-V?

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Neurobiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Obesity is a complex condition with various contributing factors.
• Current diagnostic approaches for obesity as a disorder are debated.
• Understanding the underlying mechanisms of overeating is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of classifying obesity as a mental or behavioral disorder.
• To explore alternative frameworks for understanding obesity, focusing on the process of overeating.
• To review existing models of nonhomeostatic overeating.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on nonnormative overeating.
• Examination of eating disorder, substance use disorder, and affect regulation models.
• Analysis of the relationship between eating patterns and obesity development.

Main Results:

• Abnormal eating patterns like binge eating and night eating are linked to obesity.
• Evidence for substance use and other nonhomeostatic overeating models is emerging but preliminary.
• Diagnostic criteria for obesity based on current models are difficult to establish due to dimensional and variable associations.

Conclusions:

• Classifying obesity as a disorder faces significant challenges due to the nature of the phenomena involved.
• Further research into the neurobiology of eating behavior, reward, and affect regulation is needed.
• A deeper understanding will facilitate the development of targeted treatments for overeating disorders.