Are there any gender differences in frequency of self-reported somatic symptoms of depression?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether self-reported somatic symptoms of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), are more frequent in women than in men with major depressive disorder.

A sample of 105 male and 105 female adult psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder was classified according to endorsed changes in appetite, changes in sleeping pattern, and fatigue (i.e., "somatic depression") symptoms on the BDI-II.

The female to male ratio of somatic symptoms was approximately 2:1. Subsequent analyses found that change in appetite robustly distinguished between women and men and that fatigue partially distinguished between women and men.

The sample was largely Caucasian and composed of patients with high rates of comorbidity who presented to a service known for specializing in cognitive therapy.

In outpatients with major depressive disorder, the higher prevalence of "somatic depression" in women is largely attributable to changes in appetite.