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Obese youths are not more likely to become depressed, but depressed youths are more likely to become obese

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2013

R. E. Roberts  and
H. T. Duong
R. E. Roberts*
Affiliation:
Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
H. T. Duong
Affiliation:
Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: R. E. Roberts, Ph.D., UTHealth, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1200 Herman Pressler Dr., Suite E1017, Houston, TX 77030, USA. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Overweight/obesity and depression are both major public health problems among adolescents. However, the question of a link between overweight/obesity and depression remains unresolved in this age group. We examined whether obesity increases risk of depression, or depression increases risk of obesity, or whether there is a reciprocal effect.

Method

A two-wave prospective cohort study of adolescents aged 11–17 years at baseline (n = 4175) followed up a year later (n = 3134) sampled from the Houston metropolitan area. Overweight was defined as 95th percentile >body mass index (BMI) ⩽85th percentile and obese as BMI >95th percentile. Three indicators of depression were examined: any DSM-IV mood disorder, major depression, and symptoms of depression.

Results

Data for the two-wave cohort indicated no evidence of reciprocal effects between weight and depression. Weight status predicted neither major depression nor depressive symptoms. However, mood disorders generally and major depression in particular increased risk of future obesity more than twofold. Depressed males had a sixfold increased risk of obesity. Females with depressive symptoms had a marginally increased risk of being overweight but not obese.

Conclusions

Our findings, combined with those of recent meta-analyses, suggest that obese youths are not more likely to become depressed but that depressed youths are more likely to become obese.

Keywords

Adolescentsdepressionepidemiologyobesity
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 43 , Issue 10 , October 2013 , pp. 2143 - 2151
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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