Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Metabolic Syndrome in People Over 45 Years of Age

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome in patients over 45 years of age, as well as their possible associations. Methods: analytical cross-sectional study. 120 participants assigned to Family Medicine Unit No. 80 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Participants’ anthropometric measurements were analyzed; fasting glucose concentration, triglycerides, and hdl cholesterol in blood. Pearson’s χ² analysis was performed to test for differences in dichotomous qualitative variables and odds ratio was used to calculate risk with a 95% confidence interval. Results: the frequency of metabolic syndrome was 93.3%, of which 51.7% reported depressive symptoms. The frequency of depressive symptoms was higher in women than in men (mr= 2.1, 95% ci:1.2- 3.7, p= 0.009). Neither association was observed between depressive symptoms or metabolic syndrome, nor with its components. Conclusion: the frequency of metabolic syndrome in the studied population was higher than the previously reported and 53.3% of people with metabolic syndrome reported depressive symptoms; these were more frequent in women, and showed no association with metabolic syndrome.