A new research has confirmed the link between depression and abdominal obesity, which has been associated with an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

"Our study is important because if you are interested in controlling obesity, and ultimately eliminating the risk of obesity-related diseases, then it makes sense to treat people's depression.
"It's another reason to take depression seriously and not to think about it just in terms of mental health, but to also think about the physical consequences of mental health problems," Needham added.
Needham examined data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a longitudinal study of 5,115 men and women ages 18-30 that aimed to identify the precursors of cardiovascular disease. Needham studied the data to test whether body mass index (BMI) - weight divided by the square of one's height - and waist circumference were associated with increases in depression or whether depression was associated with changes in BMI and waist circumference during a period of time.
CARDIA study scientists weighed and measured the waist circumference and BMI of study participants. The waist circumference was measured to the nearest half centimeter. CARDIA researchers also asked study participants in years five, 10, 15 and 20 to rank their own level of depression.
"Looking at the CARDIA sample data, we found that everyone, as a whole, gained weight during the 15-year period of time that we examined," said Needham.
Advertisement
"In contrast, a high initial BMI and waist circumference did not influence the rate of change in symptoms of depression over time," she added.
Advertisement
"So, there is reason to suspect that people who are depressed would have higher levels of abdominal obesity versus other parts of the body because of elevated cortisol," she said.
More studies are needed to determine the underlying causes for weight gain among those who reported being depressed, Needham said.
The study appears in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Source-ANI