Phobia of gaining weight is extremely common. The fear of gaining weight or becoming obese is not among the oldest of phobias. The terms Obesophobia or Pocrescophobia which literally mean fear of fat, have been acknowledge by the medical and psychiatric fraternity in the last twenty years. Earlier, obesity was not exactly a problem since people were much more active and healthy. Besides, the culture of celebrating thinness has only become popular in recent times. Media, popular notions and perceptions of people regarding what is desirable and what is not has paved the foundation for the phobia of gaining weight.
The phobia of gaining weight is not exactly a psychological disorder, certainly not in its primitive stages. This fear is born out of two thoughts. The first thought is relevant for overweight or obese people. When obese or overweight people start to lose weight, embark on diets or exercises, they tend to develop a notion that eating more or eating specific foods, doing or not doing certain things will lead them to gain weight. Or, those actions or the lack of it would stop weight loss. Thus, they develop a fear of gaining weight and start behaving in a certain manner, in which case they would avoid most foods, would always think of doing something and become restless in the process and may have strange mood swings especially due to these actions and reactions.
The other thought is relevant for those who are slim. Thin people have a fear of becoming fat and that creates a phobia of gaining weight. In an attempt to remain thin and to avoid all causes of weight gain, they take drastic steps, mostly pertaining to diet and exercise.
Phobia of gaining weight is more common than one may wonder. Almost everyone is conscious of their weight. Some come to terms with it and accept it, some challenge their weight gain in the right manner with properly planned diets and exercises but some people tend to stop eating, develop eating disorders and become anorexic. It has been observed that most people who have been diagnosed with bulimia or anorexia nervosa have had a history of phobia of gaining weight.
There are numerous symptoms of phobia of gaining weight. Obsessive thoughts, being in control of the fear, imagining oneself as fat or large, being averse to temptations especially pertaining to food and drinks, anxiety, terror, remaining hungry or not having the appetite to eat and forcing to vomit or taking laxatives are some common signs of the phobia.