Overweight and obese individuals with depressive symptoms from the MooDFOOD prevention trial: Role of sociodemographic, somatic health, and weight related factors

Background: Major depression disorder (MDD)1 and obesity are among the most common public health problems. The majority of epidemiological studies demonstrated a strong relationship between sociodemographic factors like age and socioeconomic status and depression. Also, a bidirectional link between depression and obesity is discussed. However, differences regarding sociodemographic factors and obesity between participants with and without lifetime MDD might occur, but potentially not in all individuals. This study intends to contribute to this discussion by investigating whether or not sociodemographic factors, chronic illness status, and overweight differ between individuals with and without lifetime MDD. Methods: In the MooDFOOD depression prevention trial, 1025 overweight or obese participants with subsyndromal symptoms of depression were recruited. Lifetime history of MDD, number of lifetime MDD episodes, sociodemographic data, and chronic illness were assessed via clinical interview, also standardized anthropometric measures (body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]). Results: A lifetime MDD diagnosis was present in 33.5% of the sample. Individuals with lifetime MDD and individuals who never suffered from MDD did not differ regarding sex, age, marital status, educational level, employment status, and income. Further, there were no significant differences in BMI, WHR, and number of chronic illnesses between participants with and without lifetime MDD. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the data prohibited causal inferences. Conclusion: Sociodemographic variables, chronic illness status and anthropometric measures seem not to be related to the status of having suffered from MDD in the past vs. not having suffered from MDD in people who are currently overweight or obese.