Dieting and Depression

An Assessment of Affective Disturbance occurring during the Clinical Trial of a New Anorectic Preparation

¹ Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry and Medical Professorial Unit, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, E.C.1
² General Practitioner, Spital Square, London, E.1

1. Seventy-two obese patients took part in a 16-week weight-reducing programme which included a double-blind cross-over trial of an anorectic preparation Durophet-M 12. The patients attended fortnightly and at each attendance depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, hunger and insomnia were rated on a four-point scale.

2. No patient became severely depressed at any time. In only 6, at most, of the 60 completing the trial, were there even moderate symptoms of depression which persisted for more than one month. None of those who dropped out of the trial (12 patients) became depressed prior to terminating. We thus have no evidence to suggest that it is depression which is the reason for so many obese patients failing to persevere with a weight-reducing programme.

3. The amount of weight lost bore no relationship to either the initial or final depression rating.

4. Durophet-M 12 was found to be without any greater effect than a placebo on either depressive or anxiety symptoms.

5. We conclude that there is little danger of marked depression occurring among the large majority of obese patients who try to lose weight by dieting, provided this is done under supervision and there is no previous history of psychiatric illness.