Association of metabolic syndrome with depression and anxiety

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome has attracted the special attention of scientists in recent years due to its association with cardiovascular risk. There is a strong correlation between cardiovascular risk and mental illness (anxiety and depression). Method and Material: This is a cross-sectional study. The study was conducted at the Dimitsana Health Center. The study included patients who visited the Health Center for regular medical check-ups. During the visit, the patient completed the HADS questionnaire and recorded the following information: sex, age, height, weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting glucose, cholesterol (total / HDL / LDL), triglycerides. Results: Our study included 95 patients (52 men, 43 women) with a mean age of 66.5 +/- 7.0 years. The MS criteria in our sample met 27 people (28.4% of the sample). Increased values in the HADS questionnaire were recorded in 67 people in our sample (70.5%). There was no correlation between MS and mental illness based on the HADS questionnaire (p = 0,32). The presence of depression or anxiety based on the HADS questionnaire was associated with elevated cholesterol levels (p = 0,03). Discussion: Our research failed to identify the association between MS and mental health (depression and anxiety). However, it appeared to be associated with elevated cholesterol levels, which are also associated with cardiovascular risk. Due to the specific conditions of the research, such as the small sample of population and the particularities of the area, the results of this study can hardly be generalized. It is suggested that in future studies, these correlations of metabolic syndrome parameters at a wide and long-lasting population level should be considered to better outline the supposed association of metabolic syndrome with depression and anxiety.