Sex-Specific Associations Between Depressive Disorder and Weight Status Transitions From Adolescence to Mid-Life:...

Despite prior research on depression-obesity associations, the longitudinal effects of depression on subsequent transitions in weight status are not well understood. This study explored prospective sex-specific associations between depression and weight transitions and how these associations vary across life stages.

Data were gathered from 20,745 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, who were followed across five waves (1994-2018). Multilevel discrete-time models for recurrent transitions were employed to examine longitudinal effects of depression on subsequent changes in weight status. These transitions were defined as entry to and exit from elevated body mass, including overweight, class I obesity, and class II obesity. Depressive disorder was measured via self-reported depression status and age of diagnosis. Confounders included respondents' age, race or ethnicity, adverse childhood experiences, and indicators of family socioeconomic status.

Females with depressive disorder were 26% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13, 1.42) more likely to enter into and 20% (95% CI: 0.65, 0.99) less likely to exit from class I obesity, relative to females without depressive disorder. They were also 1.37 times (95% CI: 1.20, 1.57) more likely than their counterparts to enter into class II obesity. These effects varied by life stage; as females aged, the risks of depression shifted from overweight to class II obesity. Such associations were not observed among males.

Our findings underscore the risks that depression poses for weight gain and obesity. Targeted public health interventions that address the mental health of female adolescents could disrupt depression-obesity cycles and improve long-term health outcomes.