Surge in referrals to the tier 3 weight management service of people with obesity and depression during covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Aim: There are multifactorial reasons for obesity. Depression and obesity are linked bidirectionally. When providing a weight management service, food and activity play an important role. However, during this pandemic, we found a significant increase in number of people with depression and obesity. We reviewed patients referred to tier 3 weight management service during the pandemic to understand the prevalence of depression in people with obesity. We also looked into baseline prevalence of depression in people with obesity in a primary care setting. Methods and analysis: There has been a 100% increase in referrals to tier 3 weight management service from January 2021 to June 2021. The prevalence of depression in this group of patients is around 59%. The general prevalence of depression in patients with obesity based on a study published in the British Journal of General Practice was 23%. Prevalence of depression among 502 people with obesity in a nearby general practice was around 10%. Weight and depression demonstrated a U-shaped relationship, with higher prevalence of depression observed among underweight and obese general practice patients. There was however no correlation between depression and body weight in people with morbid obesity. Conclusion: Approach to weight management in tier 3 weight management service should now focus more on management of depression. This pandemic has clearly revealed the close relationship between obesity and depression.