Depression and Anxiety would Gain Weight I

People who suffer from depression, anxiety or other mental health disorders are more likely to gain weight over time, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

Mika Kivimaki and colleagues at University College London followed more than 4363 British civil servants aged between 35 and 55 years and not obese at baseline, for 19 years. One questionnaire was administered and their body mass index measured at baseline and three times during the study.

People with symptoms of depression, anxiety or other mental disorders in the three evaluations were twice as likely to be obese at the last evaluation than those who never reported such symptoms.

More symptoms were reported frequently, the risk of becoming obese was important. This link remained even taking this into account in the analysis of risk factors for obesity such as the use of psychiatric drugs associated with weight gain .

Obesity did not increase significantly the risk of depression, anxiety or other mental disorders, as other studies have shown. "This does not mean there is no association, but it seemed much lower in our study," said Kivimaki.