Relationship between body mass index to depression severity, eating attitude and impulsivity among the patients with major depressive disorder

Abstract

Objective: Major depressive disorder and obesity has been rapidly increasing worldwide, and overlapping related factors has been discussed more and more. Especially, it is stated that depression is the leading psychological factor which is affecting eating attitude, and accordingly body mass index (BMI) is increased. It is also thought that, impulsivity is higher with the severity of depression, which negatively affects eating attitude and may cause change on BMI. In this study, we aimed to determine whether BMI affects eating attitude and impulsivity in case of presence of depression, and if so, to determine other related factors. Methods: To this cross-sectional study, 120 patients were included, who were diagnosed major depression first time according to DSM-5, and who do not have any other psychological or physical illness. Sociodemographic Data Form, Eating Attitude Scale, Barrat Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11) and Beck Depression Scale (BDS) were applied to participants. Results were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Results: The severity of major depression was found to be related with high BMI (particularly obesity). Positive relationship was found between BMI and lower education level, being married, having children and smoking. Increase in BMI has no effect on impulsivity. However, there was a relationship between severity of depression and impulsivity independent from BMI. It was found that patients with eating attitude disorder have significantly higher BMI, BDS, BIS-11 total scores and attention, non-planning sub-dimensional scores compared to patients with normal eating attitude. Discussion: Hence, BMI with high major depression severity may be related with obesity. However, our findings suggest that rather than BMI, depression severity affects impulsivity more. It should be considered that, for depressive and obese individuals, with the increase in depression severity, eating attitude may be affected and impulsivity may be higher.