Posttraumatic stress disorder as a risk factor for obesity among male military veterans.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is a significant public health problem in the United States, particularly among military veterans with multiple risk factors. Heretofore, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not clearly been identified as a risk factor for this condition.


METHODS
We accessed both a national and local database of PTSD veterans.


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI) was greater (P < 0.0001) among male military veterans (n = 1819) with PTSD (29.28 +/- 6.09 kg/m(2)) than those veterans (n = 44 959) without PTSD (27.61 +/- 5.99 kg/m(2)) in a sample of randomly selected veterans from the national database. In the local database of male military veterans with PTSD, mean BMI was in the obese range (30.00 +/- 5.65) and did not vary by decade of life (P = 0.242).


CONCLUSIONS
Posttraumatic stress disorder may be a risk factor for overweight and obesity among male military veterans.
Vieweg
W V R
WV
Psychiatry and Medicine Services, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA. vvieweg@visi.net
Julius
D A
DA
Bates
J
J
Quinn
J F
JF
Fernandez
A
A
Hasnain
M
M
Pandurangi
A K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*