One hundred significantly overweight patients sequentially
applying to a very low calorie diet (VLCD) program were interviewed to
learn how the onset of obesity correlated with other life events. By
comparison with a control group of 100 always-slender adults, the
obese applicants were found to be different at a highly significant
level in the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse, nonsexual childhood
abuse, early parental loss, parental alcoholism, chronic depression,
and marital family dysfunction in their own adult lives. The obese
patients commonly reported using obesity as a sexually protective
device; many reported overeating to cope with emotional
distress. Inquiry into depression, past sexual abuse, and past or
present dysfunctional family life should be added to the current
medical evaluation of all obese patients. The resultant findings are
likely to be relevant to their treatment, whether for obesity or for
other medical conditions.