Design and methods for a randomized clinical trial treating comorbid obesity and major depressive disorder
2008

Treating Depression to Improve Weight Loss in Obese Women

Sample size: 174 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kristin L Schneider, Jamie S Bodenlos, Yunsheng Ma, Barbara Olendzki, Jessica Oleski, Philip Merriam, Sybil Crawford, Ira S Ockene, Sherry L Pagoto

Primary Institution: University of Massachusetts Medical School

Hypothesis

Will behavioral therapy for depression administered prior to standard weight loss treatment produce greater weight loss than standard weight loss treatment alone?

Conclusion

Treating depression before weight loss interventions could enhance both mental and physical health outcomes.

Supporting Evidence

  • Depression is linked to worse outcomes in weight loss treatments.
  • Behavioral activation may help improve both mood and weight loss.
  • Previous studies show that treating depression can enhance treatment adherence.

Takeaway

This study is trying to see if helping women with depression before they start losing weight will help them lose more weight.

Methodology

A randomized clinical trial comparing behavioral activation for depression followed by standard weight loss treatment to standard weight loss treatment alone.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to exclusion of individuals with severe depression or other comorbid conditions.

Limitations

The treatment intensity may limit adoption in practice settings with fewer resources, and exclusion criteria may affect generalizability.

Participant Demographics

Obese women aged 21-65 with major depressive disorder.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-244X-8-77

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