Obesity and Depression - Dietary Treatment in Adult Patients

Background: Obesity and depression represent two of the most serious problems in recent years, and epidemiological data support an important relationship. Aim: To study the effect of a hypocaloric diet and increase physical activity in obese adult depressed patients under medication. Methods: We studied 60 obese patients with active depression (men and women) aged 35 ± 10, were included in the study, over a period of 1 year, who were divided into 30 patients, control group and 30 patients in the intervention group. The intervention group consumed a mildly hypocaloric diet and were advised to increase their physical activity for 6 months while the control group didn’t consume any diet and other instructions. Anthropometric measurements were carried out in all patients (weight, height). Skinfolds as well as visceral and trunk fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis (B.I.A.) and infrared radiation (ViScan) together were measured before and after the intervention including the control group. In addition, biochemical examinations (lipids and serum glucose) were performed and also blood pressure. Results: It was found a reduction of weight at 7,03 kg in the intervention sample, no significant reduction in abdominal fat, while there was significant improvement of biochemical parameters (reduction of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides and fasting glucose and increased HDL cholesterol). In the control group the weight gain up to 9,32 kg and was a significant increase in abdominal fat, and biochemical parameters did. Conclusions: A hypocaloric diet and increase physical activity in depressed obese patients under medication significantly improves anthropometric and biochemical parameters in contrast to the control group, which have shown an increase in body weight and the biochemical parameters have shown no improvement.