The relationship between borderline personality symptoms and body mass index in a consecutive sample of cardiac stress test patients

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by inherent difficulties with self-regulation. While a number of studies have examined the relationship between BPD and body mass index (BMI)/overweight/obesity, findings have been mixed. In this cross-sectional study of a consecutive sample of 238 participants presenting for cardiac stress testing, we investigated the relationship between borderline personality symptoms, according to two self-report measures, and BMI. Compared to participants who were negative on both measures of borderline personality symptoms, participants who were positive on either measure of borderline personality symptoms demonstrated no differences in current BMI or highest BMI in adulthood. These results in a unique study population mirror the findings of other studies in medical and community populations.

A systematic review of personality disorders and health outcomes.

“…Five additional studies investigated symptoms of PD in patient samples not seeking bariatric surgery (Carpiniello et al, 2009; Sansone, Hahn, Dittoe, & Wiederman, 2012; Sansone, Wiederman, Sansone, & Monteith, 2001; van Hanswijck de Jonge, van Furth, Lacey, & Waller, 2003). Rates of PD in these samples ranged from 8% to 65%.…”

“…Rates of PD in these samples ranged from 8% to 65%. For example, among patients undergoing cardiac stress testing ( n = 238), 8% scored above BPD clinical cut off on a self-report measure (Sansone et al, 2012). Among obesity treatment centre patients ( n = 150), 31% of female and 19% of male patients had a PD based on a clinical interview (Carpiniello et al, 2009).…”

Personality disorders in heart failure patients requiring psychiatric management: Comorbidity detections from a routine depression and anxiety screening protocol

“…To date, we are not aware of a study to report the prevalence of personality disorders in positive depression screen patients with HF. This is surprising considering that the 30% prevalence of personality disorders in heart transplant recipients (Shapiro et al, 1995), whilst links between borderline personality disorder in particular with cardiometabolic risk is being increasingly recognized (Kahl et al, 2005(Kahl et al, , 2013Moran et al, 2007;Powers and Oltmanns, 2013;Reich and Schatzberg, 2010;Sansone et al, 2012;Weinberg et al, 2009). …”