Overweight, obesity, and individual symptoms of depression: A multicohort study with replication in UK Biobank.
Brain Behav Immun. 2022 Oct; 105:192-200.BB

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

Obesity is associated with increased risk of depression, but the extent to which this association is symptom-specific is unknown. We examined the associations of overweight and obesity with individual depressive symptoms.

METHODS

We pooled data from 15 population-based cohorts comprising 57,532 individuals aged 18 to 100 years at study entry. Primary analyses were replicated in an independent cohort, the UK Biobank study (n = 122,341, age range 38 to 72). Height and weight were assessed at baseline and body mass index (BMI) was computed. Using validated self-report measures, 24 depressive symptoms were ascertained once in 16 cross-sectional, and twice in 7 prospective cohort studies (mean follow-up 3.2 years).

RESULTS

In the pooled analysis of the primary cohorts, 22,045 (38.3 %) participants were overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m[2]), 12,025 (20.9 %) class I obese (BMI between 30 and 34.9 kg/m[2]), 7,467 (13.0 %) class II-III obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m[2]); and 7,046 (12.3 %) were classified as depressed. After multivariable adjustment, obesity class I was cross-sectionally associated with 1.11-fold (95 % confidence interval 1.01-1.22), and obesity class II-III with 1.31-fold (1.16-1.49) higher odds of overall depression. In symptom-specific analyses, robust associations were apparent for 4 of the 24 depressive symptoms ('could not get going/lack of energy', 'little interest in doing things', 'feeling bad about yourself, and 'feeling depressed'), with confounder-adjusted odds ratios of having 3 or 4 of these symptoms being 1.32 (1.10-1.57) for individuals with obesity class I, and 1.70 (1.34-2.14) for those with obesity class II-III. Elevated C-reactive protein and 21 obesity-related diseases explained 23 %-31 % of these associations. Symptom-specific associations were confirmed in longitudinal analyses where obesity preceded symptom onset, were stronger in women compared with men, and were replicated in UK Biobank.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is associated with a distinct set of depressive symptoms. These associations are partially explained by systemic inflammation and obesity-related morbidity. Awareness of this obesity-related symptom profile and its underlying biological correlates may inform better targeted treatments for comorbid obesity and depression.

Links

PMC Free PDF

Authors+Show Affiliations

Frank P

Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 6BT London, UK; Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College, London, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 7HB London, UK. Electronic address: philipp.frank.16@ucl.ac.uk.

Jokela M

Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, Helsinki 00290, Finland. Electronic address: markus.jokela@helsinki.fi.

Batty GD

Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 6BT London, UK. Electronic address: david.batty@ucl.ac.uk.

Lassale C

Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Dr Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: classale@imim.es.

Steptoe A

Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College, London, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 7HB London, UK. Electronic address: a.steptoe@ucl.ac.uk.

Kivimäki M

Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 6BT London, UK; Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Tukholmankatu 8 B, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: m.kivimaki@ucl.ac.uk.

MeSH

AdultAgedBiological Specimen BanksBody Mass IndexCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedObesityOverweightProspective StudiesUnited Kingdom

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Language

eng

PubMed ID

35853559

Citation

Frank, Philipp, et al. "Overweight, Obesity, and Individual Symptoms of Depression: a Multicohort Study With Replication in UK Biobank." Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 105, 2022, pp. 192-200.

Frank P, Jokela M, Batty GD, et al. Overweight, obesity, and individual symptoms of depression: A multicohort study with replication in UK Biobank. Brain Behav Immun. 2022;105:192-200.

Frank, P., Jokela, M., Batty, G. D., Lassale, C., Steptoe, A., & Kivimäki, M. (2022). Overweight, obesity, and individual symptoms of depression: A multicohort study with replication in UK Biobank. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 105, 192-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2022.07.009

Frank P, et al. Overweight, Obesity, and Individual Symptoms of Depression: a Multicohort Study With Replication in UK Biobank. Brain Behav Immun. 2022;105:192-200. PubMed PMID: 35853559.

* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case

TY - JOUR T1 - Overweight, obesity, and individual symptoms of depression: A multicohort study with replication in UK Biobank. AU - Frank,Philipp, AU - Jokela,Markus, AU - Batty,G David, AU - Lassale,Camille, AU - Steptoe,Andrew, AU - Kivimäki,Mika, Y1 - 2022/07/16/ PY - 2022/07/11/received PY - 2022/07/14/accepted PY - 2022/7/20/pubmed PY - 2022/9/1/medline PY - 2022/7/19/entrez KW - Depression KW - Multicohort study KW - Obesity KW - Overweight KW - Symptoms of depression KW - UK Biobank SP - 192 EP - 200 JF - Brain, behavior, and immunity JO - Brain Behav Immun VL - 105 N2 - OBJECTIVES: Obesity is associated with increased risk of depression, but the extent to which this association is symptom-specific is unknown. We examined the associations of overweight and obesity with individual depressive symptoms. METHODS: We pooled data from 15 population-based cohorts comprising 57,532 individuals aged 18 to 100 years at study entry. Primary analyses were replicated in an independent cohort, the UK Biobank study (n = 122,341, age range 38 to 72). Height and weight were assessed at baseline and body mass index (BMI) was computed. Using validated self-report measures, 24 depressive symptoms were ascertained once in 16 cross-sectional, and twice in 7 prospective cohort studies (mean follow-up 3.2 years). RESULTS: In the pooled analysis of the primary cohorts, 22,045 (38.3 %) participants were overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m[2]), 12,025 (20.9 %) class I obese (BMI between 30 and 34.9 kg/m[2]), 7,467 (13.0 %) class II-III obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m[2]); and 7,046 (12.3 %) were classified as depressed. After multivariable adjustment, obesity class I was cross-sectionally associated with 1.11-fold (95 % confidence interval 1.01-1.22), and obesity class II-III with 1.31-fold (1.16-1.49) higher odds of overall depression. In symptom-specific analyses, robust associations were apparent for 4 of the 24 depressive symptoms ('could not get going/lack of energy', 'little interest in doing things', 'feeling bad about yourself, and 'feeling depressed'), with confounder-adjusted odds ratios of having 3 or 4 of these symptoms being 1.32 (1.10-1.57) for individuals with obesity class I, and 1.70 (1.34-2.14) for those with obesity class II-III. Elevated C-reactive protein and 21 obesity-related diseases explained 23 %-31 % of these associations. Symptom-specific associations were confirmed in longitudinal analyses where obesity preceded symptom onset, were stronger in women compared with men, and were replicated in UK Biobank. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is associated with a distinct set of depressive symptoms. These associations are partially explained by systemic inflammation and obesity-related morbidity. Awareness of this obesity-related symptom profile and its underlying biological correlates may inform better targeted treatments for comorbid obesity and depression. SN - 1090-2139 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/35853559/full_citation DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -

Tags

Overweight, obesity, and individual symptoms of depression: A multicohort study with replication in UK Biobank.Brain Behav Immun. 2022 Oct; 105:192-200.BB