Obesity with Vitamin D deficiency tied to increased risk of depression

Previous research has associated vitamin D deficiency or hypovitaminosis with obesity and depression. A team of researchers investigated this further on,

“What is the association of vitamin D with depression in obese patients?”

The study included 107 obese patients who were followed up and treated at an obesity centre. There were two groups; one group was deficient in vitamin D with a serum 25(OH)D level of < 20 ng/mL, while the other not deficient group had a serum vitamin D level of ≥ 20 ng/mL.

According to BDI scores, patients were divided into two groups with BDI scores < 17 and ≥ 17.

The study results are summarised as follows:

• Those with a higher risk for depression with a BDI score ≥ 17 had higher weight and BMI. These patients had lower levels of serum 25(OH)D levels.
• There was a moderate positive association of BDI scores with BMI, a weakly negative relationship with vitamin D levels, weakly positive relationship with weight.
• The BDI score me-dians of 12 and 8 were higher in patients with serum 25(OH)D levels of < 20 ng/mL than ≥ 20 ng/mL.
• There was a higher risk of depression due to increased BMI and decreased serum vitamin D levels.

Researchers said that serum vitamin D is a parameter that reveals those at risk of depression.

There was 92.86 % sensitivity and 68.82 % selectivity regarding the cutoff point of 25(OH)D ≤ 19.21 level (Youden index).

Obese patients at risk of depression have higher BMI and lower vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D supplementation has a therapeutic role in preventing depression.

Further reading:

Nur-Eke, Remziye, and Ibrahim Eke. “The Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency on Depression in Obese Adults.” Clinical Laboratory, vol. 69, no. 02/2023, Clinical Laboratory Publications, 2023. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.7754/clin.lab.2022.220526.