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Obesity and Depression Linked

Obesity and depression often are strongly connected in middle aged women, according to a recent study published in General Hospital Psychiatry. Research was collected on the height, weight, dietary, and exercise habits of over 4,500 women, ages 40 to 65. The women completed a questionnaire used to determine depression symptoms.

Women found to have clinical depression were more than twice as likely to be obese (a BMI of 30 or more), and obese women were more than twice as likely to be depressed. Additionally, women with BMI's of 30 or higher exercised the least, had the poorest body image, and consumed 20 percent more calories than women with lower BMIs. The link between depression and obesity remained even when marital status, education, tobacco use and antidepressant use were factored in.

Lead Author, Dr. Gregory Simon, believes that depression and obesity fuel each other. He states, "When people gain weight, they're more likely to become depressed and they have more trouble losing weight." The stigma of being overweight can damage self esteem and block efforts to lose weight. Dr. Simon suggests that women need to focus on rebuilding their self-esteem before they can expect to build weight loss determination.

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