Depression and anxiety: their predictive function for weight loss in obese individuals

Obes Facts. 2009;2(4):227-34. doi: 10.1159/000226278. Epub 2009 Aug 17.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the impact of current mental disorders on weight loss with special consideration of depressive and/or anxiety disorders as well as binge eating behavior in obese individuals undergoing different weight loss treatments.

Methods: Three different samples of obese individuals were investigated in a prospective, longitudinal study: participants in a conventional weight loss treatment program (CONV TREAT; n = 250), obesity surgery patients (OBES SURG; n = 153), and obese control individuals (OC; n = 128). Current mental disorders and BMI were assessed at baseline and at 4-year follow-up.

Results: OBES SURG patients with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder lost significantly less weight compared with those without a comorbid mental diagnosis. This result was not detected for CONV TREAT participants. A trend to gain weight was seen in OC participants with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder, whereas OC participants without current mental disorders at baseline lost some weight. Binge eating behavior at baseline did not predict weight loss at 4-year followup.

Conclusions: These results underline the importance of addressing current depressive and anxiety disorders in obese patients, especially when such patients are undergoing obesity surgery.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Body Mass Index
  • Bulimia / epidemiology
  • Bulimia / surgery
  • Bulimia / therapy
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / surgery
  • Obesity / therapy
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Weight Gain
  • Weight Loss*