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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
Obesity in adults with epilepsy
Jaromir Janousek1, Arkady Barber, Lenka Goldman
1Epilepsy, Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA.
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|July 18, 2013
Summary
Obesity is common in epilepsy patients, with over half overweight or obese. Rates are higher in men, Black individuals, and those with refractory epilepsy or on multiple medications.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The US adult population has high rates of overweight (68%) and obesity (35%).
- The prevalence of overweight and obesity in patients with epilepsy was previously unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in patients with epilepsy.
- To compare these rates with the general adult population.
Main Methods:
- Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated from measured height and weight.
- Data were collected from 554 newly evaluated epilepsy patients (aged 16-87) at a single center (2003-2009).
- Statistical analysis included comparisons based on sex, race, epilepsy refractoriness, and medication regimen.
Main Results:
- Over half of epilepsy patients (55.2%) were overweight or obese (BMI > 25 kg/m²).
- Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m²) affected 31.2% of patients, and morbid obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m²) affected 4.3%.
- Overweight/obesity was more prevalent in men (65.4%) vs. women (49%), Black individuals (67.9%) vs. White individuals (51.9%), and those with refractory epilepsy (60.4%) vs. non-refractory epilepsy (49.2%).
- Obesity rates were higher in patients on polytherapy (37.7%) vs. monotherapy (25%).
Conclusions:
- Obesity is a significant comorbidity in patients with epilepsy, mirroring general population rates.
- Higher rates of overweight/obesity were observed in specific demographic groups and those with more severe epilepsy or complex treatment regimens.
- No association was found between obesity and epilepsy type, duration, or etiology.
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