Trajectories of Change in Obesity and Symptoms of Depression: The CARDIA Study

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether, over time, baseline obesity is associated with change in depressive symptoms or if baseline symptoms of depression are associated with change in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. METHODS: We used latent growth curve modeling to examine data from years 5, 10, 15, and 20 of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study (n = 4643). We assessed depressive symptomatology with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. RESULTS: Respondents who started out with higher levels of depressive symptoms experienced a faster rate of increase in BMI (for Whites only) and waist circumference (for Blacks and Whites) over time than did those who reported fewer symptoms of depression in year 5. Initial BMI and waist circumference did not influence the rate of change in symptoms of depression over time. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptomatology likely plays a role in the development of physical health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, through its association with increases in relative weight and abdominal obesity over time.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2009.172809

Authors: Belinda L. Needham, Elissa S. Epel, Nancy E. Adler, Catarina Kiefe

Institutions: University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, University of Alabama, University of California, San Francisco, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Language: English

Topic: Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, University of Alabama, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

OpenAlex ID: W2096195012