A new study suggests depression is associated with the accumulation of visceral fat which has been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Visceral fat is the kind of fat found between internal organs at the waistline, and scientists from Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression triggers an increase in that type of fat by studying 409 middle-aged women participating in the Women in the South Side Health Project in Chicago.
They discovered a strong correlation between depression and visceral fat, particularly among overweight and obese women.
The results held true even after adjusting for other factors such as the level of physical activity.
“Our results suggest that belly fat is an important pathway by which depression contributes to the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” says Dr Lynda Powell, chairwoman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Rush and the studys principal investigator.
She theorizes that depression triggers the accumulation of visceral fat by stimulating the production of cortisol and inflammatory compounds, but says more research needs to be done to confirm that.
Those who would like to lose weight and improve their cardiovascular health may consider the alkaline diet.
It is based on citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes, and it has the added benefit of boosting bone health into old age.