Professor Son Ki-young’s research team at Asan Medical Center in SeoulDepression and suicide experiences of people taking weight loss drugs ↑ The combined effects of the drug itself and psychological frustration
Studies have shown that depression and suicide-related indicators are relatively high in those who have taken ‘weight-loss medications’. In particular, people who gained weight again after taking medicine were four times more likely to think of suicide than non-users
According to the medical community on the 23rd, a research team led by Son Ki-young, a family medicine professor at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, analyzed the relationship between weight loss drugs and mental health among 27,741 adults who participated in the 2013-2022 National Health and Nutrition Survey
Among the study subjects, 846 people were prescribed and taken by doctors to control their weight in the past year. The remaining 26,895 people did not use weight loss drugs. In the study, the types of drugs taken were not separately classified
Comparing the two groups, more depression and suicide-related experiences were reported in those who took weight loss drugs
The rate of feeling depressed for more than two weeks in a row was 22.1% of drug users, about twice as high as non-users (11.4%). The percentage of counseling for mental health issues over the past year also differed by 8.4% and 3.4%, respectively
Among those taking weight loss medications, 9.9% of respondents said they had considered suicide. There were 4.5% of non-users. The experience of planning suicide was 2.2% and 1.4%, respectively, and the experience of suicide attempts was 1.7% and 0.6%
In the results of the research team’s correction and analysis of related variables, a link between taking weight-loss medications and mental health indicators was also observed
Drug users were 1.9 times more likely to experience depression and twice more likely to consult mental health than non-users. The likelihood of suicidal thoughts was 2.7 times, and suicidal planning and suicide attempts were 1.9 times and 1.7 times, respectively
The notable point was the weight change after taking the medicine. People who gained weight even after taking weight-loss medications had 4.2 times higher suicidal thoughts than non-users. Depression experience and mental health counseling were 1.9 times and 1.8 times, respectively
The research team explained that there is a possibility that various factors, such as the neurological and psychological effects of the drug itself, as well as the psychological frustration experienced by not losing weight as expected or gaining weight again, may have affected it in combination
In particular, the research team analyzed that depression-related symptoms are likely to be noticeable as dissatisfaction with appearance increases in the process of failing to lose weight or gaining weight again
The study was published in the recent issue of the Korean Journal of Family Medicine (KJFP) under the title of “The Use of Weight Loss Drugs and the Relationship between Depression and Suicide Thinking and Behavior.”
