Severely Obese Face Major Depression Risk

Severely Obese Face Major Depression Risk
Tue Jan 6, 5:05 PM ET

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDayNews) -- In a variation on an age-old question,
researchers have long asked themselves which comes first -- obesity or
depression?

A new study doesn't resolve the debate, but it does suggest the risk of
mental illness is a major problem for the severely obese, and less of a
threat for the merely overweight.

Women of average height who weighed more than 240 pounds and men of average
height who weighed more than 278 pounds -- defined as morbidly obese --
were five times more likely to be depressed than people of average weight.

However, women who were overweight, but not obese, were also more likely to
be depressed.

"It's good news for the general population because it means the depression
burden might be lower among the obese than we worry it is," says study
co-author Dr. Chiadi U. Onyike, a psychiatric researcher at Johns Hopkins
Hospital in Baltimore. "But it's not good news for people who are morbidly
obese."

The suspected link between depression and obesity is nothing new. "It seems
an obvious connection," Onyike says. But why? Do fat people get depressed
because of social stigma, or because of the chemical makeup of their
bodies? Or does depression cause a chemical reaction in the body that leads
to obesity?

In the new study, the researchers examined statistics from a 1988-94
federal study of the health and nutrition of Americans. They looked at
8,410 people who responded to a psychological questionnaire. The findings
appear in a recent issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The people most likely to be depressed -- five times more so than those of
normal weight -- were those with a body mass index of more than 40, making
them morbidly obese. The index, a ratio of height to weight, is a
measurement of obesity.

For people who are 5-foot-4, their BMI will reach 40 when they hit 240
pounds. For those who are 5-foot-10, their BMI will reach that level at 278
pounds.

Among women, simply being obese, a step above being overweight, spelled
trouble, but not as much as among the morbidly obese, the study found. The
risk of depression doubled among those women who had BMI of 30 or more.
That translates to a weight of 180 or more for someone who is 5-foot-5. But
the same was not true for men.

The study reveals the importance of screening severely obese patients for
signs of depression, says Onyike. "Depression can undermine their
compliance with weight-reduction treatments," he says.

But what of the perception that fat people are the life of the party?

Some obese people do indeed seem happy, but that's because they're
successfully using food -- a "natural antidepressant" -- to treat their
depression, says Dr. Albert Ray, an obesity expert and physician advisor
with the Kaiser Permanente Health Plan's Positive Choice Wellness Center in
San Diego.

"What a physician normally does is throw a diet at them, [tell them to] go
out and exercise and lose weight and come back in a month," Ray says. "It
doesn't happen that way. The doctor hasn't gotten to the underlying
problem, which is depression or some inner psychological problem."

Once obese people come to terms with their depression, often related to
childhood traumas such as abuse, they can begin losing weight, he says.
Counseling and medication are often very useful in treating the depression,
he adds.

But "there's a lot of denial," Ray says. "These patients don't want to
recognize that they're depressed, that they grew up in homes with heavy
levels of dysfunction."

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On 9 Jan 2004 08:09:44 +0100, Jean C did not
write;

It was reposted by one of the infestations.

LV

Remove "intel" from address to reply

Lady Veteran
- -----------------------------------
"I rode a tank and held a general's rank
when the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank..."
- -Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil
- ------------------------------------------------
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately
explained by stupidity.---George Heinlien
- -----------------------------------------------
He who thinks by the inch and talks by the
yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.
- Anonymous
- ---------------------------------------------
People who hide behind anonymous remailers and
ridicule fat people are cowardly idiots with no
motive but malice.
- ---------------------------------------------
Reputation is what other people know about you.
Honor is what you know about yourself.
- Lois McMaster Bujold
- ---------------------------------------
I didn't start it, but I may finish it.
- ---------------------------------------------



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Jean C wrote in message ...
Severely Obese Face Major Depression Risk
Tue Jan 6, 5:05 PM ET

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDayNews) -- In a variation on an age-old question,
researchers have long asked themselves which comes first -- obesity or
depression?

A new study doesn't resolve the debate, but it does suggest the risk of
mental illness is a major problem for the severely obese, and less of a
threat for the merely overweight.


There is a connection between obesity and depression.

A diet high in junk carbs leads to obesity.

A diet high in junk carbs depletes the B vitamins and folic acid.

Niacin and other B vitamins are serotonin precursors. They, as well as
others like folates, are also needed to convert tryptophan into
serotonin and serotonin precursors. Tryptophan is reasonably abundant
in our diets. Lack of b vitamins interferes in the conversion.

Serotonins are linked to depression. Either the inability to uptake
serotonin or low levels of serotonins will cause depresssion, anxiety,
etc.

Most anti-depressants are called SSRI's. Selective Serotonin Re-uptake
Inhibitors. Even the pharmaceutical companies don't know exactly what
these drugs do to combat depression. The drugs have horrendous
side-effects, they are expensive and they only work for short periods
of time and only for about 30% or less of the victims... err...
patients.

It's cheaper and infinitely safer to deal with depression using a good
low-carb diet and vitamins.

TC

(tcomeau) wrote in message . com...
Jean C wrote in message ...
Severely Obese Face Major Depression Risk
Tue Jan 6, 5:05 PM ET

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDayNews) -- In a variation on an age-old question,
researchers have long asked themselves which comes first -- obesity or
depression?

A new study doesn't resolve the debate, but it does suggest the risk of
mental illness is a major problem for the severely obese, and less of a
threat for the merely overweight.


There is a connection between obesity and depression.

A diet high in junk carbs leads to obesity.

A diet high in junk carbs depletes the B vitamins and folic acid.

Niacin and other B vitamins are serotonin precursors. They, as well as
others like folates, are also needed to convert tryptophan into
serotonin and serotonin precursors. Tryptophan is reasonably abundant
in our diets. Lack of b vitamins interferes in the conversion.

Serotonins are linked to depression. Either the inability to uptake
serotonin or low levels of serotonins will cause depresssion, anxiety,
etc.

Most anti-depressants are called SSRI's. Selective Serotonin Re-uptake
Inhibitors. Even the pharmaceutical companies don't know exactly what
these drugs do to combat depression. The drugs have horrendous
side-effects, they are expensive and they only work for short periods
of time and only for about 30% or less of the victims... err...
patients.

It's cheaper and infinitely safer to deal with depression using a good
low-carb diet and vitamins.

TC

DUH! Don't I know it. I was very depressed a few weeks ago and all the
while kept stuffing the carbs in my mouth. The more I did the more
miserable I became. I HAVE NOW CRAWLED OUT FROM UNDER THE ROCK AND
JUMPED ON THE WAGON. I see light at the end of the tunnel again!!!!!
Laureen

On 9 Jan 2004 13:54:38 -0800, (tcomeau) wrote:



Most anti-depressants are called SSRI's. Selective Serotonin Re-uptake
Inhibitors. Even the pharmaceutical companies don't know exactly what
these drugs do to combat depression. The drugs have horrendous
side-effects, they are expensive and they only work for short periods
of time and only for about 30% or less of the victims... err...
patients.

It's cheaper and infinitely safer to deal with depression using a good
low-carb diet and vitamins.

TC

While many people will do just fine with just diet, for those who need
more than just diet do not have to fear the SSRIs. While it's true
that they can be expensive (not a problem if you have insurance, and
in some cases you can get government help with the cost), they can and
will work for a long period of time and for people on the right med
the side-effects aren't "horrendous". For others they have to weigh
what's worse, to be on med or off of them. It's only for them and
their doctor to decide what's right. (not anybody else).

SSRI's can and do work for more than 30% of people.

It's good to be aware of the side effects but don't assume they happen
to you if you take a med. Just inform yourself about the med and work
with your doctor. If you learn enough it will also help you know if
your doctor is full of it or knowledgeable.

It's good to empower yourself with the right info. This goes for any
area, but especially in matters related to health, physical & mental.

The below link is for SSRI's and other ADs
http://depression.about.com/cs/sidee...idefxindex.htm



MorphGrrl