twice as likely to have a build up of visceral fat around the stomach

A link between depression and the most dangerous type of body fat known as visceral fat has been discovered following research done at Wake Forest University. Stephen Kritchevsky who works at the Sticht Center on Aging which is part of the university explained that this type of body fat was particularly dangerous as it caused high levels of diabetes and cardiac problems.

The researchers said that older people who suffered from depression were twice as likely to have a build up of visceral fat around the stomach and internal organs. It is not exactly certain why this is the case but other research projects have shown that depression can trigger a high production of the stress hormone named cortisol which is known to accelerate the production of visceral fat. Previously it had been believed that the reason why depressed people were overweight was because their weight was a factor contributing to the depression and not the other way around, but more and more research seems to lead to the fact that by being depressed you are more likely to put on weight.

This goes to show that in order to shed weight you should make an effort to deal with your depression. Going to get exercise and working out not only deals with the physical symptoms of being overweight but can also have a positive effect on your mood and well being and help you stop feeling depressed.  So the next time that you get to the gym do not look at your exercise as purely for your body but also as something which is good for your mind. You can use the gym as a time to think, clear your mind and plan your life.

Many people underestimate the psychological damage that being overweight does and while you cannot generalise and say that all overweight people are depressed the statistics show that more of them are have problems with their moods than normal weight people.