Subjective hunger sensation: Chronotype analysis of obese elderly subjects and controls in relation to affective state

Summary l studies showed a strict correlation between body weight and emotional state, showing a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in association to modification of hunger sensation. The aim of this study was to identify, analyzing chronotype differences of subjective hunger sensation between elderly obese subjects compared to non-obese eurettic controls, in association with their affective state. Twenty-four obese subjects (14 males and 10 females) of mean age 68.2 2.8 years were included in the study, with body mass index (BMI) > 30, and 20 subjects (10 males and 10 females) with BMI < 30, well matched for age, served as controls. The affective state was evaluated by using the geriatric depression scale (GDS) and the state trait anxiety inventory (STAI). The subjec tive hunger sensation (SHS) was evaluated by an autoevaluation questionnaire consisting of 10 progressive degree (point 1 = absent, point 10 = intolerable) for each daytime hour (from 6 am to 11 pm). Statistical analysis was carried out by the Mann-Whitney U-test and linear regression analysis; a p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Mean value of subjective hunger sensation was statistically higher in obese subjects than in controls (p = 0.007), and so was also anxiety (p = 0.01) and depression (p = 0.01). Chronotype analysis showed a significant rise of subjective hunger sensation in every postprandial period (p < 0.005) with no significant differences between the two groups. We found a significant difference in interprandial gradient (Δip) higher in obese subjects than in controls (p = 0.001). Our data show that Δip is strictly correlated with the level of depression (Δip vs GDS: r = 0.910; p = 0.002) and especially with anxiety (Δip vs STAI: r = 0.971; p = 0.001).