People with more fat around their waist and hips, compared to overall body weight, are more likely to have symptoms of depression or anxiety, especially in middle-aged Taiwanese adults.

Even though belly fat seems to link more strongly to depression in men than women, the overall pattern is the same for both — meaning the connection isn’t unique to one sex.

A new way to measure belly shape — called the conicity index — is the best single sign among all body measurements to predict depression or anxiety in middle-aged Taiwanese men, and still a strong sign in women.

Being overweight or obese by BMI doesn’t reliably predict depression or anxiety in middle-aged Taiwanese men, and only slightly in women — so weight alone isn’t a good sign of mental health risk.

In women, a marker of fat around internal organs is linked to depression or anxiety, but not in men — suggesting men and women may have different biological links between belly fat and mood.

If your waist is a large part of your height or wider than your hips, you’re more likely to have depression or anxiety — and this holds true for both men and women in this study.