Depression and Obesity Coexist in Many Middle-Aged Women
Obesity and depression often go hand-in-hand, says a new U.S. study.
The researchers collected data regarding height, weight, diet and exercise and body image from 4,641 women, aged 40 to 65, who were enrolled in a health plan. The women also completed a questionnaire designed to measure symptoms of depression.
The study found that women with clinical depression were more than twice as likely to be obese (body mass index of 30 or more) and obese women were more than twice as likely to be depressed.
Obese women also exercised the least, had the worst body image and ate more calories than women with lower BMIs.
Even when marital status, education, tobacco use and antidepressant use were factored in, the association between depression and obesity remained.
The study was published in the January/February issue of the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.
Comments
Obesity & depression (as well as Bipolar and a lot of other MIs) go hand in hand and it never stops. It’s a horrid circle we get in and we’re trapped there, for a lot of us, for our entire lives.
Agree, I had gastric bypass in 2003 and lost 126lbs. In Jan/06 my only brother was murdered and I went into post traumatic stress disorder and depression and was put on medication along with talk therapy. I have since gained 40lbs this past year and it’s horrible. I was doing very well and maintaining the weight loss and it has to be the meds that caused me to gain. I had bouts in the past with depression and tried meds twice before in my life and eventually weened off and this time around it’s been harder and more of a struggle to ween off. Every time I decrease the dose I get worse and so recently my meds were switched however, the weight gain is depressing me as well. I don’t know what to do? It’s a vicious cycle.
Governments have to take this into account if they are serious about tackling obesity as a health epidemic.
my first experience with Effexor made me gain wieght, I feel like maybe my weight does have a lot to do with my depression. I feel unworthy, and dont want to face people.
Please. More b.s. propoganda. 20 years ago I was skinny and was miserable in an awful marriage…and I wouldn’t go back to those days for a gazillion dollars. Things didn’t turn around for me until I was 40 and 200 lbs. I’m now nearly 47, 235 lbs, have an empty nest and a wonderful man, family, grandchild, friends, goals and hobbies, my day job, my weekend music gigs and my travels. I’ve never been happier…so it’s not about the weight. It’s about the attitude one chooses whether thin or large.
I am middle aged, suffer from depression and have had a weight problem for years. On the occasions where I seem to gain control of my eating, I always end up gaining the weight back. A few years ago, I started cutting myself as well. Now, I can’t hold a full time job, I feel worthless and I find myself cutting more. I can’t seem to have the guts to simply end it. What is so wrong with me? I wish that I could just die.
I have been out of work because of a work related injury since March. I am feeling depressed, my relationships are not going well and I have gained weight by eating the wrong things. I do wish the workers compensation board would start caring more about its members and less about holding on so tight to their money