title: Internet-delivered obesity treatment improves symptoms of and risk for depression.
abstract: In-person lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment yield significant improvements in depression. These improvements may be attributed to the excellent weight losses produced by in-person interventions. In contrast, Internet programs yield more modest weight losses, and their effect on depression is unknown. This study is the first to examine whether Internet-delivered obesity treatment impacts depressive symptoms.
  
  
  
  Participants (N = 136) were randomized to either a community campaign plus Internet behavioral weight loss (IBWL) or community campaign alone (Control). IBWL did not include online social support components. A measure of depressive symptoms was administered, and weight was objectively assessed.
  
  
  
  Of the total sample, 24% met the clinical cutoff for elevated depression risk at baseline. IBWL participants lost more weight during treatment (P = 0.005) and experienced significantly greater improvements in depressive symptoms (P = 0.02). Among participants who met the clinical cutoff for elevated risk for depression at baseline, those assigned to IBWL had greater improvements in depressive symptoms during treatment compared to Control (P = 0.033). Consequently, at post-treatment, a smaller percentage of IBWL participants were at elevated risk for depression.
  
  
  
  This study is the first to show that Internet-delivered obesity treatment improves depression risk and depressive symptoms in individuals with overweight or obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naparstek
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: Rena R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wing
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaomeng
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3695-4845
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Tricia M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Leahey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*