Does diet-induced weight change effect anxiety in overweight and obese adults?

 Anxiety is the most prevalent type of mental disorder and a significant health concern. Crosssectional<br />studies have detected a positive association between obesity and anxiety. What is less<br />clear is whether weight loss can reduce anxiety. We sought to answer three questions:<br />1. Can weight loss improve symptoms of anxiety in the overweight and obese population?<br />2. Does the macronutrient content of energy-restricted diets that induce weight loss affect<br />anxiety?<br />3. Is the change in anxiety related to the amount of weight lost?<br />We investigated the findings from seven interventional studies, which induced weight loss by<br />dietary intervention, in overweight and obese individuals, using established anxiety assessment<br />tools. Mean weight loss ranged from 0.7 to 18.6 kg (SD 4.5) and in three of the studies, anxiety fell<br />by 9.2% to 11.4% and did not change in four studies. When macronutrient content was considered,<br />only one of four interventional studies and one pilot study reported a beneficial effect of a<br />moderate-fat diet on anxiety. There appears to be no strong evidence to indicate that diet-induced<br />weight loss has a beneficial effect on anxiety, however, none of the diet-induced weight loss<br />studies assessed had a detrimental effect on anxiety.