Quantification of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in essentially obese patients and normal-weight healthy subjects.

The aim of this study was to quantify the degree of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in essentially obese patients (EOP) and normoponderal healthy subjects (NHS) in order to identify quantitative differences based on mean scores and percentages (the latter in cases showing a tendency towards pathological anxiety and depression indicated by a score of > or = 8). The study involved 69 EOP (age: 13-72 years; BMI: > 25.0 and < 35.0 kg/m2) and 66 NHS (age: 18-68 years; BMI: > 18.5 and < or = 25.0 kg/m2). The scores, expressed in Anxiety Units (AU) and Depression Units (DU), were computed using ad hoc questionnaires (the ASQ and CDQ) validated for the Italian population. The mean scores of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in the EOP were significantly higher (both p = 0.001) than those of the NHS (6.33 +/- 2.38 vs 5.02 +/- 2.22 AU; 6.42 +/- 2.42 vs 5.02 +/- 2.03 DU), as were the percentages of cases with a tendency towards pathological anxiety and depression (42% vs 18%, and 43% vs 12%) (both p = 0.001). The significantly higher mean sub-clinical anxiety and depression score in the EOP indicate that a worse mood status is associated with obesity in a non-random manner. The significantly higher percentages of EOP with a tendency towards pathologic anxiety and depression indicate that obesity is a clinical condition that predisposes to the development of clinically relevant affective disorders.