Evaluating an online weight loss intervention targeting health behaviours and cognitions in men with low mood: outcomes and mechanisms from a randomised trial

Depression and obesity are major inter-related health concerns in men worldwide but engaging men to seek help for these conditions is challenging. Healthy lifestyle behaviours are associated with improved physical and mental health, but most insights are from clinical trials, with less known about how to help adults living with depression in community settings to make these changes. Further, while successful lifestyle modification can reduce depressive symptoms and weight in people with obesity, less than 5% of behaviour change interventions have explicitly targeted men and most are too intensive for realistic dissemination. Recently, lifestyle programs designed specifically for men (i.e., gender-tailored) have effectively engaged men and improved their physical health, but few studies have integrated substantive mental health support and/or targeted men with pre-existing mental health conditions, such as depression.