Extreme Obesity and its Associations with Victimization, PTSD, Major Depression and Eating Disorders in a National Sample of Women

Timothy D Brewerton, Patrick M

Abstract

Background: Crime victimization experiences, such as rape, molestation, and aggravated assault are significantly associated with bulimia nervosa (BN) and associated psychiatric comorbidity such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and substance abuse. Obesity also appears to be a major risk factor for the development of BN, but few studies have examined the relationship of crime victimization experiences to obesity and related psychopathology.