Anxiety and Depression linked to Obesity

A team of researchers who led a study on childhood anxiety and depression found a link between these disorders and obesity in adulthood.

The study involved a group of 820 people, among which 403 women and 417 men, who were assessed four times between 1983 and 2003. Their age ranged from 9 to 18 when they were first assessed and 28 to 40 when the last assessment was made.

During the study, a link between anxiety disorders, depression and weight gain from childhood into adulthood has been observed and among 310 participants, 119 men and 191 women had suffered anxiety disorders and 50 men and 98 suffered from depression.

It was found that women who suffered from anxiety disorders and depression, especially in childhood, had higher BMI comparing to women who were of the same age and social status but had no history of mental disorders.

At the end of the study, researchers realized that fighting mental disorders might also help prevent or at least minimize female obesity.