This contributes to their proneness to fatal accidents. In the severely obese there is an increased incidence of absenteeism and unemployment. Discrimination against obese persons is common in both academic and work settings. Impairment in body image is the major form of psychological disturbance specific to obese persons. However, psychological disturbances do not appear more commonly in overweight persons than in those with normal weight.
Emotional disturbances are often likely to be a consequence of obesity rather than the cause.
In some studies, obese persons were found to be significantly less anxious and depressed than normal weight persons.