Anxiety independently contributes to elevated inflammation in humans with obesity
Open accessAbstract
Objective: Anxious and depressive states are associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and a proinflammatory phenotype, although the latter appears to be at least partially explained by adiposity. It was hypothesized that depression and anxiety would be associated with elevated inflammation independent of adiposity in persons with obesity at high risk of CVD. Methods: This study explored the relation between baseline anxiety as measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory and depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory‐II and baseline serum c‐reactive protein (CRP) in a cross‐sectional sample of 100 participants [mean (SD) age 57.8 (7.7) years; 64% female] with obesity [mean (SD) body mass index, BMI 37.3 (5.5) kg/m 2] enrolled in a clinical trial for pharmacological weight loss. Results: Beck Anxiety Inventory, but not Beck Depression Inventory‐II, scores were significantly correlated with CRP (ρ = 0.28, P = 0.005). BMI was also highly correlated with CRP (ρ = 0.42, P < 0.0001). In multivariate models, the relation between anxiety and CRP remained significant (P = 0.038), independent of BMI, age, and sex. Conclusions: Anxiety, but not depression, was associated with elevated inflammation in persons with obesity beyond that attributable to higher BMI. Further study is warranted to assess whether anxiety represents a potential therapeutic target to mitigate corresponding CVD risk associated with elevated inflammation in persons with obesity.
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Many but not all studies have found an association between anxiety and CRP.
“Many [35– 41], but not all [42] studies have found an association between anxiety and CRP.”
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- Authors
- Pierce, G. L., Kalil, G. Z., Ajibewa, T., Holwerda, S. W., Persons, J., Moser, D. J., & Fiedorowicz, J. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Iowa (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pierce, Gary L.
- Fiedorowicz, Jess G.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Obesity
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-12-21
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 286-289
- ISSN
- 1930-7381 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-739X
- PMC
- PMC5269606
- OpenAlex
- W2566811300
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4
- FWCI
- 3.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Obesity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (P01HL014388)
- American Heart Association (13SDG143400012)
- National Institutes of Health (HL07121, U54TR001356)
- National Institute of Mental Health (K23 MH083695)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Keywords
- anxiety, depression, inflammation, C-reactive protein, cardiovascular risk, body mass index, pharmacological weight loss, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, C-Reactive Protein, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Body Mass Index, Adiposity
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