Metabolic syndrome in subjects with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder in a current depressive episode: Population-based study

Objective To assess the differences in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and their components in young adults with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a current depressive episode. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with young adults aged 24–30 years old. Depressive episode (bipolar or unipolar) was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview – Plus version (MINI Plus). The MetS was assessed using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III). Results The sample included 972 subjects with a mean age of 25.81 (±2.17) years. Both BD and MDD patients showed higher prevalence of MetS compared to the population sample (BD = 46.9%, MDD = 35.1%, population = 22.1%, p Conclusion Metabolic components were significantly associated with the presence of depressive symptoms, independently of the diagnosis.