Work

Shared risk factors for mood-, eating-, and weight-related health outcomes.

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Given the overlap among depressive symptoms, disordered eating, and overweight, identifying shared risk factors for these conditions may inform public health interventions. This study aimed to examine cross-sectional and prospective relationships among these 3 conditions, and identify potential shared eating-related and psychosocial variable risk factors (i.e., body dissatisfaction, dieting, teasing experiences). METHOD: A population-based sample (n = 1,902) self-reported depressive symptoms, disordered eating (binge eating, extreme weight control behaviors), weight status, and several putative risk factors (body satisfaction, dieting frequency, weight-related teasing) at 5-year intervals spanning early/middle adolescence, middle adolescence/early young adulthood, and early/middle young adulthood. RESULTS: There was moderate overlap among depressive symptoms, disordered eating, and overweight at each time point, and moderate stability in each condition over time. Body dissatisfaction and dieting were the most potent shared risk factors for later depressive symptoms, disordered eating, and overweight among males and females (ps < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms, disordered eating, and overweight share several risk factors, including dieting and body dissatisfaction, which may be effective targets for interventions aiming to simultaneously prevent these 3 conditions.

Source: Health Psychology

DOI: 10.1037/hea0000283

Authors: Andrea B. Goldschmidt, Melanie Wall, Tse-Hwei J. Choo, Carolyn Becker, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

Institutions: University of Chicago, Columbia University, Trinity University, Trinity University, University of Minnesota

Language: English

Topic: Eating Disorders and Behaviors

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences