Depression Strikes More Than Half of Obese Adolescents
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More than 50% of obese adolescents met criteria for depression, which also was associated with several components of metabolic syndrome, based on data from 160 individuals. Previous research shows that the metabolic consequences of obesity are worsened with the coexistence of depression in adults, but a similar relationship in obese adolescents has not been explored, according to Nisha Gupta, a medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, and colleagues.
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@jaya In a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, the researchers reviewed data from 160 obese adolescents seen at a pediatric weight management clinic between July 1, 2018, and Dec. 3, 2021. The data included anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory information. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9). The goal of the study was to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome components in obese youth with and without diagnosed depression. Overall, 46% of the patients had PHQ-9 scores less than 5, which was defined as no clinically significant depression. A total of 26% had current or prior diagnoses of depression, and 25% met the criteria for moderate to severe depression, with PHQ-9 scores of 10 or higher. Notably, 18% of individuals with no prior history of depression met criteria for moderate to severe depression, the researchers wrote.