title: Weight changes in Portuguese patients with depression: which factors are involved?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depression may lead to obesity, just as obesity can contribute to the disease; yet, changes in the dietary pattern and food habits in depressive syndromes have been scantily investigated. We aimed to identify possible associations between nutritional factors and depressive disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study included 127 consecutive ambulatory adult patients with depression (DSM-IV), under psychiatric treatment. All study parameters were classified according to sex & age: BMI, waist circumference, %fat mass, food intake & physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' mean age was 48 ± 13 (18-81) yrs, 94% were women. Overweight/obesity was found in 72% of the cohort, 72% had excessive fat mass & 69% had a waist circumference above the maximum cut-off value. Longer disease was associated with higher BMI +%fat mass, p < 0.003. Weight gain during illness was registered in 87%; just 12% lost weight, though undernutrition did not occur. Weight gain and greater fat mass were related with higher BMI, p = 0.002. The pattern of food intake was poor, monotonous and inadequate in 59% of patients; there was also a regular consumption of hypercaloric foods by 78% pts. Overall, the usual diet was associated with weight gain, p = 0.002. Antidepressants (75%) and benzodiazepines (72%) were prevalent; these drugs were associated with weight gain, p = 0.01; 80% pts did not practice any physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a positive association with overweight/obesity: a striking & clinically worrying prevalence of high fat mass, abdominal fat, weight gain, poor nutritional intake and sedentarism. This unhealthy pattern points towards the need of a multidisciplinary approach to promote healthy lifestyles that may help depressive disorder management.
authors.forename: Jerónima
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Nutrição da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa e Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Avenida Prof, Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal. p.ravasco@medicina.ulisboa.pt.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ravasco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D011174:Portugal; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines