Metabolic syndrome is associated with self-perceived depression.

Objective: To study the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and self-perceived depression.

Design: A cross-sectional community-based study.

Setting: Semi-rural community of Lapinlahti in eastern Finland in 2005.

Subjects: A total of 416 subjects in eight adult birth cohorts (55%) with complete Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) questionnaire data.

Main Outcome Measures: The values of the 21 BDI items and the BDI-21 total score with a cut-off point of 14/15 were used to study the association between MetS and depression. National Cholesterol Education Programme (NCEP) 2005 criteria were used for MetS classification.

Results: The total BDI-21 score was significantly higher in the subjects with MetS than in the subjects without MetS (p=0.020). Men with MetS were significantly worse off than men without MetS in the BDI-21 items of irritability (p=0.008), work inhibition (p=0.008), fatigability (p=0.037), weight loss (p=0.045), and loss of libido (p=0.014), while women were only so on the item of loss of libido (p=0.007). In a logistic regression analysis using a BDI-21 cut-off point of 14/15 adjusted for age, marital status, vocational education, and working status, significant association was retained between perceived depression and elevated blood glucose among men (OR=1.697) and large waist circumference among women (OR=1.066).

Conclusion: Elevated plasma glucose in men and central obesity in women are associated with self-perceived depression. This co-occurrence deserves attention in clinical practice.