Middle-aged women are much more likely to be depressed if they are obese, and vice versa, a new study finds. Rising excess weight goes along with less physical activity, higher calorie intake - and depression, according to the study published in the January/February issue of General Hospital Psychiatry.

Depression and obesity likely fuel one another, said lead author Gregory Simon, M.D, a psychiatrist and researcher at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.

The study involved 4,641 female health-plan enrollees, ages 40 to 65.

Women with clinical depression were more than twice as likely to be obese, defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more; likewise, obese women were more than twice as likely to be depressed, the study found.

The stigma of being overweight could hurt self-esteem, and thus, efforts to lose weight, Simon said. "It's not that these women are clueless," he said. "It's that they're hopeless."

Obese women should focus on rebuilding their spirit, which can help with losing pounds, he added.