Depression in obesity improves with weight loss
26 September 2003
Australian researchers have cast further doubts on the so-called 'fat and jolly' hypothesis, after finding that obesity is associated with depression, and this depression improves with weight loss.
The Monash University researchers assessed 487 obese people who were admitted to a surgical weight-loss programme. More than half recorded moderate and major depressive symptoms before surgery.
When symptoms were measured again after surgery, participants — particularly women and younger people — recorded significantly lower depression scores. This decrease was sustained over the 4 year follow-up period.
One in 5 patients were taking antidepressant medications preoperatively. This figure dropped to one in 9 in the year after surgery (Archives of Internal Medicine 2003; 163: 2058-65).
'The significant and sustained fall in mean [depression] scores with weight loss supports the hypothesis that severe obesity and/or associated conditions cause or aggravate depression,' the researchers said.
Younger people and obese females were more likely to have higher levels of depression, but there was no association between depression scores and measures of weight distribution, fasting insulin level, insulin resistance, or diseases associated with metabolic syndrome such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Last Reviewed: 29 September 2003
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