Study links obesity, women, & depression.

GoodHousekeeping June 2000 - "What comes first: the chicken or the egg? Does obesity cause depression in women or do depressed women eat more and become obese? In an attempt to correlate the body mass index with symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts and attempts, researchers interviewed more than 40,000 women for a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Obesity was associated with an increased risk of depression in women, but not for men. The occurrence of obesity raised a woman's probability of being diagnosed with debilitating depression by 37 percent. The lesson for doctors, according to the study's authors, is that when they are treating an overweight or obese female patient, they should be on the lookout for signs of depression." This is my personal experience big time. When Phen/Fen first came out, I asked a doctor for it before most knew what it was. I remember her telling me she couldn't prescribe it until she researched it, but she did diagnose me with depression... something I didn't even bring up. I remember being mostly depressed after the doctor appointment because I didn't get the much needed drugs and I knew that my weight was my main depressive issue. I ended up not using anti-depressants she gave me because of side-effects, but a few years later another doctor suggested depression (both of these doctors were females) and I started on an anti-depressant that has changed my life. Just wanted to share... Love,

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