Major Finding: Women with depression were 54% more likely to become overweight or obese within 5 years than were those who were not depressed, and women who were overweight or obese were 27% more likely than normal-weight women to develop depression within 5 years.
Data Source: A study of 5,031 men and women aged 45-84 years at baseline.
Disclosures: The lead investigator stated that she had no disclosures.
SAN FRANCISCO — Depression might lead to overweight and obesity, and overweight and obesity might also lead to depression, but only in women, according to a longitudinal study of 5,031 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.
Numerous studies have demonstrated associations between depression and the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to lead investigator Rosemay A. Remigio-Baker a doctoral candidate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthcBaltimore, her study suggests that overweight and obesity might provide the link connecting depression with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Participants entered the study between 2000 and 2002, when they were 45-84 years of age. Investigators followed them for 5 years. None of the participants had diabetes at baseline. The investigators defined overweight as a body mass index of 25 kg/m
To see whether depression was associated with the later development of overweight, the investigators restricted their analysis to the 1,496 individuals whose baseline BMI was less than 25. At baseline, 19% of those women and 12% of those men were depressed.
After controlling for age, ethnicity, education, income, smoking status, daily caloric intake, exercise, and levels of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein, the investigators found that women with depression were 54% more likely to develop overweight or obesity within 5 years than were those without depression. The hazard ratio was statistically significant. The investigators found no statistically significant association between depression and incident overweight among men.
To see whether overweight/obesity was associated with the later development of depression, the investigators restricted their analysis to the 3,801 participants without depression at baseline. At baseline, 65% of those women and 70% of those men were overweight or obese.
After controlling for the same covariates, the investigators found that overweight or obese women were 27% more likely to develop depression within 5 years than were normal-weight women. Again, the hazard ratio was statistically significant, and there was no link between overweight/obesity and depression in men.
“Treating depression should be considered as a public health initiative to prevent development of overweight/obesity, especially among women,” Ms. Remigio-Baker said.