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Higher Adiposity Tied to Worse Mental Health

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 11, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 11, 2024 -- Increased adiposity is significantly associated with poorer mental health in both men and women, according to a study published online March 6 in PLOS ONE.

Caoimhe Lonergan, from University College Cork in Ireland, and colleagues used primary care data from 1,821 randomly selected men and women (aged 46 to 73 years) to examine relationships between mental health scores and adiposity (defined using body mass index [BMI] and waist-height ratio).

The researchers found a significant positive association of BMI and waist-height ratio with depression scores. There was a significant inverse association between adiposity and well-being scores in men and women. When adjusting for demographic variables and lifestyle factors, associations persisted. When further adjusting for disease conditions, BMI (β = 0.743) and waist-height ratio (β = 0.719) associations with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score remained significant. Relationships between measures of adiposity and depression were stronger in women (BMI: β = 0.806; waist-height ratio: β = 0.768) than men (BMI: β = 0.573; waist-height ratio: β = 0.593).

"These findings suggest that increased adiposity is significantly associated with poorer mental health, independent of lifestyle factors and disease conditions," the authors write. "Targeted interventions for reducing depression should include better population-level weight management measures."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted March 2024

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