Research published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity in August 2003 found that obesity and depression together may increase inflammation that contributes to heart disease risk. The study looked at 3,205 German men aged 45 to 74. About 23% were classified as obese. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)—a marker of inflammation linked with irritation of the arterial lining—were significantly higher in obese men than in men with lower body weight.
The researchers also found that obese men who were depressed had even higher CRP levels than obese men who were not depressed. Interestingly, depression did not raise CRP in non-obese men, suggesting that the combination of obesity and depression may amplify inflammatory risk. Rates of depression were similar in both obese and non-obese groups, and the two conditions did not correlate with one another.
