Obesity as a causal risk factor for depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian Randomization studies and implications for population mental health

Mendelian randomization studies suggest that obesity is a causal risk factor for elevated risk of depression. The increasing obesity rates may have modestly increased the prevalence of depressive symptoms in the general population. Mendelian randomization relies on methodological assumptions that may not always hold, so other quasi-experimental methods are needed to confirm the current conclusions.