DIRECTION OF WEIGHT CHANGE IN DEPRESSION

Direction of weight change in depression has recently been reported to be mediated by Body Mass Index (BMI). The present study examined the relation between direction of weight change in unipolar depression, BM I, and clinical variables such as severity of depression, melancholia, chronicity and recurrence in 89 patients with major depression. While the BMIs of individuals who gained weight when depressed were signifi cantly higher than individuals with no weight change, the BMIs of indi viduals who lost weight were not significantly lower than those with n o weight change. Direction of weight change was not predicted by sever ity of depression, melancholia, chronicity or recurrence. Concerns reg arding conceptual and methodological difficulties in research on predi ctors of direction of weight change in depression are discussed.