Perception of appetite and weight change during treatment for depression.

As part of the Pittsburgh Appetite Test, 50 depressed outpatients reported their perceptions of appetite and weight change prior to and during chronic treatment with imipramine and psychotherapy. At the end of 4 months, as a group, patients were significantly more conscious of what they were eating, and reported a significant change in the frequency of regular meal consumption. No group changes were noted in frequency of snacking or late night eating, although weight change during treatment and obesity status modified these responses. Clinical response was unrelated to eating behavior. Perception of weight change varied with treatment: a 5 pound weight gain became highly problematic during recovery compared to the depressive episode. The interaction of these factors and antidepressant-induced weight gain are discussed.