Abstract
Objectives. To evaluate bidirectional associations between obesity and depressed mood in adolescent girls, and determine if associations differed by racial/ethnic group. Methods. We analyzed data collected from 918 adolescent girls studied in 6th and 8th grades in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG). Racial/ethnic group was defined as non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic. Height and weight were measured and obesity was defined as a body mass index-for-age ≥95th percentile. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to measure depressive symptoms and depressed mood, defined as CES-D ≥24. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations between 6th grade obesity and 8th grade depressed mood, as well as 6th grade depressed mood and 8th grade obesity. Results. Racial/ethnic group was a statistically significant effect modifier in both directions of association (p<0.02). Among white girls, 6th grade obesity was associated with greater likelihood of depressed mood in 8th grade (odds ratio [OR]=2.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.85, 3.30), whereas for black and Hispanic girls this association was not observed (OR= 1.16 and 0.82, respectively). Also for white girls, 6th grade depressed mood was associated with greater likelihood of obesity in 8th grade (OR = 4.47, CI: 1.96, 10.24), whereas for black and Hispanic girls, OR=0.83 and 1.89, respectively. Conclusions. Associations between obesity and depressed mood may be most problematic among adolescent girls in the white racial/ethnic group. Our results are consistent both with depressed mood contributing to obesity and obesity contributing to depressed mood.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the following cooperative agreements from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: U01 HL066855 (Tulane University); U01HL066845 (University of Minnesota); U01HL066852 (University of South Carolina); U01HL066853 (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill); U01HL066856 (San Diego State University); U01HL066857 (University of Maryland); and U01HL066858 (University of Arizona).
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.