Obesity and depression

In women of middle age obesity is often associated with depression. According to the results of a recent study, middle-aged women who suffer from obesity are more likely depressed than slender, and Vice versa. The increase in weight is accompanied by decreased physical activity, increased consumption of calories and depression, the researchers found.



What is the reason?


Depression and obesity are like fuel for each other - says the study leader Gregory Simon (Gregory Simon, MD. "When people gain weight, they often fall into depression, and depression it is harder to lose weight," says Simon, a psychiatrist and researcher "Group Health Cooperative" from Seattle.




In the February issue of General Hospital Psychiatry published the results of the study. Researchers conducted telephone interviews with 4641 women attending the weight loss program, ranging in age from 40 to 65 years. Women answered questions about their height, weight, physical activity level, dietary habits and body shape. They also filled out a questionnaire Patient Health Questionnaire, identifying the symptoms of depression.




Among women with clinical depression is more than two times increased likelihood of obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher; similarly, obese women are more than twice as likely to suffer depression. Moreover, women with a BMI at or above 30 exercise less, have the worst view of your body and absorb 20 percent more calories than women with lower BMI figures. The relationship of depression with obesity persists even after adjusting for marital status, education, Smoking and drinking of antidepressants.




The relationship of obesity with depression in this study more closely than in other comparable - perhaps because these were only the representatives of the middle class Caucasian race. Simon says: "There is evidence that the presence of excess weight less shameful for men, for people with low income and women of other ethnic groups".




The mark of excess weight can hurt self-esteem and thus prevents weight loss. "Not all women are ignorant, " he says. - They are simply in despair".




"First, women are obese you must focus on restoring emotional balance, and only this, in turn, will allow you to lose weight," says the researcher.




"Health care workers should be aware of the results of the research," says Richard Rubin Richard Rubin, a psychologist from Johns Hopkins University. "They have to track down cases of depression and to treat her in obese people, especially given the significantly increased risk of developing diabetes in people with excess weight," says Rubin, former President of the educational branch of the American Association for diabetes.

Source:

Dietary

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