We can’t tell if belly fat leads to depression, depression leads to weight gain, or if both happen together — because this study only looked at people at one point in time.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Abdominal Obesity Indices as Predictors of Psychiatric Morbidity in a Large-Scale Taiwanese Cohort

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2025 Dec 19

This study found that people with more belly fat also tended to have anxiety or depression, but because it only looked at them once, it can’t tell if the fat caused the mental health issues or if the mental health issues led to weight gain.

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No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Abdominal Obesity Indices as Predictors of Psychiatric Morbidity in a Large-Scale Taiwanese Cohort

Score: 48

DOI: 10.3390/nu18010013

Similar Assertions

Even after accounting for age, smoking, exercise, and other health problems, belly fat still links to depression and anxiety — meaning the connection isn’t just because of other health issues.

77%

There could be other hidden factors — like diet, stress, or sleep — that make both belly fat and depression more likely, so we can’t be sure the fat itself is causing the mental health issues.

74%

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.

72%

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.

71%