Liu Pu-Le, Zhang Yan, Li Jiao, Du Jing, Yang Ning, Dong Qiang-Li
Department of Mental Health, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Department of Mental Health, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, 410000 Changsha, Hunan, China.
Alpha Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 22;26(4):45975. doi: 10.31083/AP45975. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Obesity and depressive disorders are significant public health concerns, and their association is well-documented. This study investigates the role of inflammatory markers, specifically C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in mediating the relationship between obesity and depressive symptoms.
We utilized data from 37,538 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covering the period from 2005 to March, 2020, pre-pandemic. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), while inflammatory markers were assessed via NLR and CRP levels.
Results indicated a positive correlation between obesity, NLR, and CRP levels, and depressive symptoms. Notably, CRP exhibited a significant mediating effect in the obesity and depressive symptoms link, whereas NLR did not. (NLR: 0.0926%, = 0.740; CRP: 32%, < 0.001). Furthermore, the mediating effect of CRP in the male group was significantly higher than in the female group (Men: 57%, < 0.001; Women: 16%, = 0.046).
These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms linking obesity and depressive symptoms, especially in men, and may guide future therapeutic strategies.
肥胖和抑郁症是重大的公共卫生问题，它们之间的关联已有充分记录。本研究调查炎症标志物，特别是C反应蛋白（CRP）和中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）在介导肥胖与抑郁症状之间关系中的作用。
我们利用了来自国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的37538名成年人的数据，涵盖2005年至2020年3月疫情前的时间段。使用患者健康问卷-9（PHQ-9）测量抑郁症状，通过NLR和CRP水平评估炎症标志物。
结果表明肥胖、NLR、CRP水平与抑郁症状之间呈正相关。值得注意的是，CRP在肥胖与抑郁症状的关联中表现出显著的中介作用，而NLR则没有。（NLR：0.0926%，P = 0.740；CRP：32%，P < 0.001）。此外，CRP在男性组中的中介作用显著高于女性组（男性：57%，P < 0.001；女性：16%，P = 0.046）。
这些发现为肥胖与抑郁症状之间的联系机制提供了新的见解，尤其是在男性中，并可能指导未来的治疗策略。
