According to research appearing in the Archives of General Psychiatry (2006; 63(7): 824-30), there is a relationship between obesity and the risk for anxiety and mood disorders. The 9,125 subjects in the cross-sectional study were assessed with the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Subjects with a body mass index of 30 or higher were determined to be obese. Researchers found that obesity increased the risk of major depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder or agoraphobia. Overall there was a 25% increased risk of these disorders in obese subjects. The obese subjects had a lower risk of substance abuse.