The association of parental depression with adolescent obesity: A national longitudinal study in China

Existing research has scarcely explored the correlation between parental depression and adolescent obesity. This study aims to assess this association using an 8-year longitudinal study, with a particular focus on comparing the impacts of paternal and maternal depression on adolescent obesity.

A longitudinal sample of 2206 families with adolescents aged 10 to 18 and their parents was constructed from four waves of the Chinese Family Panel Studies. Weight and height data were self-reported by participants. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), with depression defined as a score of CES-D ≥ 9. Mixed models were utilized to examine the association of parental depression with adolescent overweight and obesity, as well as body mass index z-score (zBMI).

After comprehensive adjustment for covariates, maternal depression was associated with adolescent overweight or obesity (OR = 5.076, 95 % CI: 3.746, 6.878), obesity (OR = 3.342, 95 % CI: 1.842, 6.062), and elevated zBMI (β = 0.387, 95 % CI: 0.322, 0.452). Adolescents exposed solely to maternal depression exhibited increased odds of overweight or obesity (OR = 5.248, 95 % CI: 3.768, 7.309), obesity (OR = 3.724, 95 % CI: 1.931, 7.184), and elevated zBMI (β = 0.410, 95 % CI: 0.339, 0.481) compared to those whose parents had no depression. These findings were consistent for adolescents with both depressed fathers and mothers, but not for those exposed solely to paternal depression.

Maternal depression significantly contributes to the elevated risk of adolescent overweight and obesity, while paternal depression exhibits a relatively weaker correlation with teenage weight gain.