December 23, 2022 — Causality in the relationship between obesity and depression is mighty hard to discern in a rigorous way. For clinicians, it seems obvious that obesity creates a risk for depression. Likewise, the observation that depression in some patients can lead to obesity is easy to find. But understanding that causal relationship is a challenge. Mere association […]
June 6, 2021 — Health stigma is sneaky. Because of that, it pops up in places where we never expect it. For example, we find the wellness section of the New York Times offering advice to dump friends with depression or obesity. Obesity researchers use stigmatizing cartoons to tell us about their good work. Perhaps these people don’t even […]
October 18, 2020 — New research from Rand and the Indiana University School of Public Health at Bloomington offers a vivid picture of two major health risks colliding. Alcohol use is growing more frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, it’s growing heavier. This is not what we need, because alcohol use is already the number one global health risk […]
October 9, 2020 — “I don’t know how everyone else is coping but I’ve been up and down like a rollercoaster,” says Ricki Frost of Middlesbrough, England. His comments point to the mental health challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic. Depression and anxiety are high on that list. What’s more, weight discrimination can make it worse. New research in […]
May 31, 2020 — We’ve mentioned it before. During the lockdown, our instinct has been to get out and walk. We see lots of people out running. We have seen families walking together that we’ve never seen before. And a new working paper (i.e., not yet peer reviewed) offers evidence to suggest physical activity during the lockdown might be […]
May 4, 2018 — This isn’t too mysterious. A number of recent studies are making it ever more clear that even small bits of exercise can give you a boost – in health and happiness. It doesn’t take long bouts of intense activity. From the Journal of Happiness Studies You gotta love this journal. Peer-reviewed and devoted to the scientific […]
September 11, 2017 — Over and over we hear it. The physical changes that come with bariatric surgery are obvious. But the biggest challenges are inside our own heads. And it shows up in research. Rarely, but significantly, substance abuse, alcohol use, depression, or even suicide can follow in the years after surgery. Though we know much about this […]
August 17, 2017 — Obesity and depression seem to travel together. This link is a tricky one and the nature of the relationship presents a real challenge for scientists to unravel. But one thing is sure. These two diseases are rising in parallel. An Unmistakable Rise in Severe Psychological Distress Look no further than the dramatic rise in deaths […]
December 18, 2016 — American life expectancy is taking a hit. And that discomforting news leads us back to parallel trends in addiction, depression, and obesity. Recently, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently called the nation to action on addiction, pointing out that opioid use has now surpassed tobacco use. Likewise, rising suicide rates and rates of depression, particularly among […]
March 19, 2015 — A new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (JAND) points to obesity and depression as co-conspirators undermining the health of people in low-income neighborhoods characterized as food deserts. In a sample of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) participants, Karen Flórez and colleagues examined the relationship between depression, dietary quality, and body mass index. […]
