Associations of mood and anxiety disorders with obesity: comparisons by ethnicity

The aim of this study is to compare the associations of mood and anxiety disorders (12 months and past diagnosis) with obesity among ethnically diverse adults.

Data from Caucasians, African American, and Latinos in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), and National Study of American Life (NSAL) were analyzed (n=17,445). Multivariate logistic regression models tested the associations between 12 month and past diagnosis of mood and anxiety disorders with obesity (body mass index ≥ 30kg/m²).

Approximately 52% of the sample was female and 24% obese. Among Caucasians, 12-month mood disorder (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.05, 1.62), past diagnosis of mood disorder (OR=1.37, 95% CI=1.11, 1.69) and 12-month anxiety disorder (OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.02, 1.68) were associated with greater likelihood of obesity. Among African Americans, past year anxiety disorder (OR=1.63, 95% CI=0.92, 1.67) was associated with greater likelihood of obesity, and a trend toward an association between 12 month mood disorder (OR=1.24, 95% CI=0.92, 1.67) and obesity was observed. Similarly among Latinos, past year anxiety disorder (OR=1.45, 95% CI=1.00, 1.99) was associated with greater likelihood of obesity, and a trend toward an association between 12-month mood disorder (OR=1.26, 95% CI=0.94, 2.01) was observed. Tests of statistical interaction to assess heterogeneity of the associations of mood and anxiety disorders with obesity, comparing African Americans and Latinos to Caucasians, suggest differences in the association of past diagnosis of mood disorder with obesity (P<.10 for both groups).

Results suggest similar associations between 12-month mood and anxiety disorders with obesity across groups.