Predictors of depression in female patients with overweight and obesity: the role of attachment

Abstract Objective Obesity is a significant global public health concern with over 1 billion people worldwide suffering from obesity. It is a major risk factor for several health conditions, so understanding the causes is crucial. With regard to the psychological state, depression plays a key role as it increases the risk of weight gain by 58%, with a reciprocal relationship where obesity can also lead to depression due to societal stigma and chronic health-related issues. Attachment theory provides insight into the psychological underpinnings of obesity, suggesting that insecure attachment can lead to maladaptive coping strategies such as emotional eating. This study aims to explore attachment style and related variables (ie, obesity-related well-being, perceived stress, and eating behaviour) as predictors of obesity, with the potential to inform targeted prevention and intervention programmes. Methods A cross-sectional design was used. Ninety-two female patients with overweight or obesity participated in the study. Results Multiple regression analyses showed that three factors of attachment style were significant predictors of depression. Particularly, confidence and relationships as secondary were negative predictors (low score on attachment high score on depression), whereas need for approval was a positive predictor (high score on attachment high score on depression). Finally, high score on well-being was associated with high score on obesity (a positive predictor). Conclusions This study shows that psychological traits, such as attachment style, are fundamental in predicting depression in patients with obesity. The results intend to pave the way to develop clinical intervention to prevent and reduce the impact of depression in patients with obesity.