Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions
While the physical health effects of obesity are well-characterized, an emerging branch of research has shown that obesity additionally plays a critical role in one’s mental health. Young adults, in a pivotal transition phase in their lives, may be particularly prone to the concurrent effects of obe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1422877/full |
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| author | Michael Friedman Ryan Chang Zahir Malik Amin Tanuja Rajan Rahul Singh Samuel Yousefzai Izza Shahid Khurram Nasir Zulqarnain Javed |
| author_facet | Michael Friedman Ryan Chang Zahir Malik Amin Tanuja Rajan Rahul Singh Samuel Yousefzai Izza Shahid Khurram Nasir Zulqarnain Javed |
| author_sort | Michael Friedman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While the physical health effects of obesity are well-characterized, an emerging branch of research has shown that obesity additionally plays a critical role in one’s mental health. Young adults, in a pivotal transition phase in their lives, may be particularly prone to the concurrent effects of obesity and adverse mental health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively examine existing data regarding the connection between obesity and two widely validated measures of mental health: psychological distress and depression. The connection between mental health outcomes and obesity is mediated by a complex interplay between biological and sociocultural factors, which is explored in this review with particular focus on younger adults aged 20-39. Further, the impact of several demographic factors including race/ethnicity, gender, and immigration status are examined closely. To our knowledge, this review is one of the first efforts to integrate existing knowledge between obesity and mental health, with particular regard for young adults and the impact of other key sociodemographic characteristics. This review has important implications at the interface of two of the most pressing public health crises in the United States. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-26e9f83162b44dd7abd4ea13812aae85 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-26e9f83162b44dd7abd4ea13812aae852025-01-10T08:03:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-01-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.14228771422877Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directionsMichael Friedman0Ryan Chang1Zahir Malik Amin2Tanuja Rajan3Rahul Singh4Samuel Yousefzai5Izza Shahid6Khurram Nasir7Zulqarnain Javed8George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, United StatesBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United StatesSchool of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United StatesDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina Health Southeastern, Lumberton, NC, United StatesCardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United StatesUniversity of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United StatesCenter for Cardiovascular Computation and Precision Health, DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston, TX, United StatesCenter for Cardiovascular Computation and Precision Health, DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston, TX, United StatesCenter for Cardiovascular Computation and Precision Health, DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston, TX, United StatesWhile the physical health effects of obesity are well-characterized, an emerging branch of research has shown that obesity additionally plays a critical role in one’s mental health. Young adults, in a pivotal transition phase in their lives, may be particularly prone to the concurrent effects of obesity and adverse mental health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively examine existing data regarding the connection between obesity and two widely validated measures of mental health: psychological distress and depression. The connection between mental health outcomes and obesity is mediated by a complex interplay between biological and sociocultural factors, which is explored in this review with particular focus on younger adults aged 20-39. Further, the impact of several demographic factors including race/ethnicity, gender, and immigration status are examined closely. To our knowledge, this review is one of the first efforts to integrate existing knowledge between obesity and mental health, with particular regard for young adults and the impact of other key sociodemographic characteristics. This review has important implications at the interface of two of the most pressing public health crises in the United States.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1422877/fullobesitydepressionpsychological distress (PD)young adultscardiovascular healthsocial determinants of health (SDOH) |
| spellingShingle | Michael Friedman Ryan Chang Zahir Malik Amin Tanuja Rajan Rahul Singh Samuel Yousefzai Izza Shahid Khurram Nasir Zulqarnain Javed Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions Frontiers in Psychiatry obesity depression psychological distress (PD) young adults cardiovascular health social determinants of health (SDOH) |
| title | Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions |
| title_full | Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions |
| title_short | Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions |
| title_sort | understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the us available evidence knowledge gaps and future directions |
| topic | obesity depression psychological distress (PD) young adults cardiovascular health social determinants of health (SDOH) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1422877/full |
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