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Behavior, Psychology and Sociology

Associations between reliable changes in depression and changes in BMI, total body fatness and visceral adiposity during a 12-month weight loss trial

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 1859–1862 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

We investigated associations between changes in depression and body composition over a 12-month weight loss trial. Of the 298 adults (BMI > 27 m/kg2), 219 with complete depression and body composition data were included. A 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale measured depression; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured body composition. Multinomial logistic regression predicted reliable changes in depression by BMI, body fat (BF) and visceral adiposity (VAT). Multiplicative interaction terms tested modification by sex and ethnicity. Participants with increases in body composition were less likely to experience improvements in depression (BMI: RRR = 0.79 (0.68–0.91), p < 0.01; BF: RRR = 0.97 (0.94 - 0.99), p = 0.01; VAT: RRR = 0.99 (0.98–1.00), p = 0.02), but not worsening of depression (BMI: RRR = 1.29 (0.96–1.73), p = 0.10; BF: RRR = 1.04 (0.99–1.09), p = 0.15; VAT: RRR = 1.01 (1.00–1.03), p = 0.18). Sex and ethnicity interaction terms were not significant. However, the relationship was only significant among females, among non-Latinos for BMI and BF, and among Latinos for VAT. Our study supports the association between depression and obesity and highlights the need for longitudinal studies investigating VAT and depression in diverse ethnic groups.

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Acknowledgements

The study received partial support from the National Institutes of Health Grant R01 CA138730. We thank the investigators and staff of the ConTxt Study, the Exercise and Physical Activity Resource Center (EPARC), and participants for their contributions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Natalie Cameron

  2. Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Job G. Godino, Lindsay Dillon & Linda Hill

  3. Department of Family Medicine and Public Health UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Job G. Godino, Tricia Skipper, Lindsay Dillon, Jill Waalen, Linda Hill & Kevin Patrick

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  1. Natalie Cameron
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  2. Job G. Godino
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Correspondence to Natalie Cameron.

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Cameron, N., Godino, J.G., Skipper, T. et al. Associations between reliable changes in depression and changes in BMI, total body fatness and visceral adiposity during a 12-month weight loss trial. Int J Obes 43, 1859–1862 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0272-1

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