Bipolar Disorder May Vary Depending on Weight, Eating Disorders

Bipolar disorder develops differently in obese people and among those who binge eat, a new study finds. Up to 4 percent of Americans have bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness that causes extreme mood swings. Just less than 10 percent of people with bipolar disorder are binge eaters, which the authors of the new study said is a higher rate than in the general population. This study found that bipolar patients who binge eat are more likely to have other mental health problems, such as suicidal thoughts, psychosis, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. Obese bipolar patients who do not binge eat are more likely to have serious physical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_139136.html