Obesity and Depression
WLR dietitian Juliette Kellow reports on a study connecting
obesity and depression.
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The Obesity Blues
By WLR Dietitian
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Obesity and depression often seem to go hand in hand and
now new research proves that this is indeed the case.
A study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry
studied more than 9,000 American adults and found that those
with a Body Mass Index of more than 30 were far more likely to
suffer from major depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder
and agoraphobia. In fact, obese subjects were 28 percent more
likely to develop depression, rising to 44 percent amongst
Caucasian and middle class Americans.
Study leader Dr Greg Simon says, “Understanding the
connection between obesity and depression is an important public
health issue because both of these conditions are so common and
have a significant impact on our health care systems.”
WLR says:
For some people, obesity can lead to depression; for others,
depression may result in changes to eating habits that lead to
unwanted weight gain. In fact, appetite can either increase or
decrease with depression, resulting in corresponding weight gain
or weight loss – some experts estimate that around a third of
depressed people actually gain weight.
Meanwhile, some anti-depressant drugs may cause weight gain
as a side effect. Furthermore, depression can also make dieting
seem like an impossible task. If you think you may be depressed,
see your doctor and ask for help. Then once your mood starts to
lift, you’ll probably find it easier to shift those excess
pounds.
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