The Link Between Obesity And Depression In America
The correlation between obesity and depression is complicated and sometimes viewed as inconsistent by the scientific community. The two most prevalent and widely accepted causes for obesity in America is a lack of physical activity and an over consumption of food. Depression can be a side effect of obesity, or it can be the main disorder, with obesity being a side effect of depression.
There are many different types of depression and some people believe that a link has been established tentatively between the two conditions in some groups of people. A study started in 2005 for example suggested that obese women showed a greater tendency toward depression. These women came from a group of over 3,000 adults who took part in the study. The rest of the data was inconclusive and could not show clear connections between the other groups of people in the study.
As far as society today is concerned the combination of these two disorders presents us with very major problems. As an example, we usually treat depression over an extended period of time with powerful and expensive antidepressants, the bill for which runs into billions of dollars every year. Curing obesity is also a very expensive exercise and weight loss surgery and accompanying psychological treatment is also costing many millions of dollars every year.
Putting aside the cost of these two disorders for a moment, it is clear that this powerful combination of conditions is going to impact us very considerably. But, just what is this going to mean for each of us personally a few years down the road.
There can be little doubt already that with millions of Americans already clinically depressed or obese (or indeed both) we must now all know somebody who has at least one of these two conditions. Not only is that particular individual affected, but that person’s family, friends and associates are also affected. This is often exacerbated by the fact that depression can often lead to suicide and also by the fact that powerful antidepressants also frequently bring with them a raft of unwanted side-effects. How do we cope with the domino effect of these two disorders?
Naturally, treatments are available for obesity and depression and the individuals affected must choose for themselves the course of action which they wish to take. However, as these two conditions together now have such an impact on society we must ask ourselves whether, linked or not, we should not attack the problem head on at government level.
Read our growing selection of obesity articles dealing with such topics as the connection between obesity and fast food and problems with obesity.
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