Relation of body mass index to depression and weighing frequency in overweight women

Research suggests that overweight and obesity are associated with depressive symptoms, particularly among women. Evidence from weight control trials suggests that higher weighing frequency is associated with greater weight loss or less weight gain. As limited data exist on the effects of self-weighing on body mass index (BMI) among overweight adults with or without depression, this study seeks to examine this issue using data from a population-based epidemiologic survey.

Data from a large population-based survey of 4655 women ages 40-65 in the greater Seattle area, surveyed from November 2003 to February 2005, were used to examine associations of depression and weight self-monitoring with BMI. Sample-weighted regression models were used to examine associations of depression, self-weighing frequency, and BMI, with demographic factors (race/ethnicity, employment status, smoking status, age, martial status, educational attainment) entered as covariates.

Regression models indicated that higher self-weighing frequency and negative depression status were independently associated with lower BMI, with no interaction observed between depression and self-weighing.

Frequent self-weighing appears to be associated with lower BMI in both depressed and non-depressed overweight women.