A bizarre link has been found by a team of researchers between obesity, which gives rise to a number of potentially fatal conditions, and depression, which itself is enough to claim one's life. The team from the Mac's Population Health Research Institute has discovered that a gene that triggers the problem of obesity can reduce the risk of depression in one by some 8%.

It is the FTO gene, says the team, which had been first discovered in the year 2007 in France. The gene is already known to have impact on brain volume and since both obesity and depression deal with the activity of the brain, the team focused on the gene.

However, it is till date believed by people that depression can trigger obesity as a person may eat more so as to cope with the problem or may follow less-active lifestyles. Also, they are of the view that vice-versa can also happen. But, the truth is in the other corner as depression risks decline if one has the obesity gene.

17,200 DNA samples were studied from 21 countries and the same has provided evidence. "With this information we know more about the physiology of depression. We have discovered a novel molecular basis for the disease ... it's the beginning of the story", said David Meyre, associate professor.