Researchers Evaluate That Obese Women Are more Prone To Become Victims Of Depression
Date: 20th May 2009
According to a latest evaluation by researchers, women suffering from obesity are more prone to fall in the grip of depression in comparison to their normal weight counterparts. Further, as reported by Tuan-Anh Nguyen, M.D., M.P.H., of Maricopa Integrated Health System in Phoenix, Ariz at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, that women afflicted with obesity are prone to be depressed 3.9 times more than women of normal weight.
Tuan-Anh Nguyen and her co-author Stephanie Riolo, M.D., of Wright State University in Dayton , Ohio , obtained the aforementioned results by undertaking analysis of data from the 2004 to 2005 repetition of NHANES(National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) that covered single calculation of Body Mass Index and mental health in nationwide representative model. However, to reduce confusion from medical disability, the researchers enrolled only a limited number of 4,627 participants aged between 15 and 40.
Altogether, a specific data analysis carried out by NHANES highlights that in comparison to men of normal weight, obese men were only 2.54 times more inclined to become depressed. Sources reveal that available cross-sectional data couldn't clarify the reasons behind the differences in the chances of falling prey to obesity among men and women but Dr. Nguyen guessed that women are more likely to become victims of the social pressure exerted on them to be beautiful. Dr. Nguyen also adds that the results obtained from the studies conducted to figure out the rate of depression in women have provided an extra edge to primary care physicians to initiate screening for depression in obese women so that adequate treatment can be undertaken at the earliest.
Julio Licinio, M.D, from the University of Miami , offers a biological explanation to the huge difference in the rate of depression among men and women by stating that depression is a disorder mostly seen in women and the ratio of depression in women and men is 2:1. He altogether adds that studies on the rate of depression in men and women are accelerating discussion with regard to whether depression has significantly different characteristics in men and women.
Source: American Psychiatric Association |
