Abstract
Depression has a significant prospective association with overweight and obese status in children and adolescents; however, the mechanisms for or mediators of this relation are unclear. In this review, we examine four possible mediators of the depression to obesity relation: physical activity, binge eating, body dissatisfaction, and cortisol levels. Theory and evidence for the relation between depression and the potential mediator are discussed first, followed by examination of the relation between each potential mediator and weight gain, overweight status, or obesity. The research examined in this review suggests that depression may lead to weight gain by decreasing likelihood of children's and adolescents' being physically active. The literature also suggests that binge eating to cope with depressive symptoms may be another mechanism through which depression leads to weight gain in youths. More longitudinal work is needed to assess the viability of body dissatisfaction and cortisol levels as mediators of this relation. Methodological considerations and clinical implications of the literature are also discussed.
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