| Abstract: | The prevalence of DSM-III-R Axis I psychiatric disorders was investigated in a sample of 54 obese patients at the time of presentation for weight reduction treatment. Patients were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Axis I diagnosis (SCID-I) designed to probe for the major Axis I syndromes. High rates of affective disorders, particularly those with depressive symptomatology, were found. Twenty-six percent of patients were in the midst of a current Axis I affective disorder at the time of examination. Forty-eight percent had a history of affective disorder, and 57% had at least one lifetime Axis I diagnosis. Only one patient met criteria for an Axis I eating disorder. Patients with psychiatric diagnoses could not be discriminated from those without on the basis of Body Mass Index. However, the former had significantly more impairment as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and the Global Assessment of Functioning. These findings may have implications for the assessment and treatment of obese patients in clinical and research settings. |
