2024-01-13 14:02:12
Thus, there is no association between depressive symptoms and higher body weight. But in people who are already overweight, additional weight gain can have devastating effects on mental health. More broadly, this research suggests a link between weight and mental health, each of these factors being able to influence the other, a link which however remains complex and remains poorly understood.
The study: Here, the epidemiology team at the Medical Research Council (MRC) in Cambridge analyzes data from more than 2,000 participants in the Fenland COVID-19 cohort who reported their level of mental wellbeing and body weight every month for 9 months . The study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported symptoms of depression, anxiety and perceived stress by questionnaire. Statistical modeling then made it possible to clarify the correlation between mental well-being and changes in body weight, one month later. The analysis reveals that:
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for each increase in usual depressive symptom score, subsequent weight one month later increases by 45 g;
- this weight change may seem minimal, but what it means in plain English is that an individual whose depressive symptoms score increased from 5 to 10, which equates to a slight to moderate increase in depressive symptoms, the average weight gain is 225g;
- this effect is only observed in participants who are already overweight, either with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 or greater than 30 kg/m2 (obesity);
- overweight participants had an average increase of 52 g for each point of increase in depressive symptom score, obese participants, 71 g for each point of depression score;
- the effect is therefore not observed in participants with a healthy weight.
Lead author Dr Julia Mueller of the MRC comments on the data: “Overall, this suggests that people who are overweight or obese are more vulnerable to weight gain in response to feeling more depressed, and weight gain may also increase their symptoms of depression. While even small weight changes over short periods of time can lead to larger weight changes in the long term, a small amount of weight gain can be a major factor in worsening depression.”
A conclusion which is not trivial, conclude the authors, when people with a high BMI are already exposed to other health problems. Monitoring and treating depressive symptoms in overweight or obese people is therefore essential, particularly because it can contribute to prevent further weight gain and thus benefit both mental and physical health.
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