Association of body mass index with depression and alexithymia

In the literature there are studies that found positive or negative or no relationship between body mass index and depression.In this study we aimed to search the relationship between depression and alexithymia. We also aimed to search the relationship between depression and alexithymia. Body mass indez is a number that is obtained by dividing body weight (in kilograms) to the square of height( in meters). The subjects are divided into three groups according to their body mass indexes (BMI=18.-24.99 are normal, BMI_25-29.99 are overweight and BMI=30 and bigger are obese). Hundred subject are chosen from the patients who are attended to Başkent UNiversity Hospital's Endocrinology Out-Patient Clinic whose throid function test values are in normal limits. They are examined if they have depression or not and their depression and alexithymia degrees are measured. Th subjects are given CIDI(depression section only),BDI and TAS-26. A positive relationship between body mass index and depression is found. The relationship is stronger in women. No relationship is found between body mass index and alexithymia or alexithymia subscales. A positive relationship is found between depression and alexithymia degree. Alexithymia degrees of the patients who have ischemic heart disease, asthma, gastritis/ulcer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus which are psychosomatic diseases, didn't show significant differences from those who have not hadi these diseases.