Metabolic Syndrome and Depression

Depression and metabolic syndrome have become more common in recent decades and co-occur more frequently than by chance. Both are risk factors for cardiovascular mortality, and can mutually reinforce each other in a vicious cycle through factors such as inactivity, social withdrawal, malnutrition, chronic stress, motivational difficulties in behavioral changes, and metabolic parameters. Therefore, diagnostic and therapeutic measures must simultaneously consider both metabolic syndrome and depression. The goal of treatment is not only remission of depression but also to enable patients to successfully and independently manage the health challenges of metabolic syndrome.