Late-Teen Depression Among Girls Linked to Later Obesity

Depression in late adolescence (18 to 21 years old) appears to be associated with later obesity, though only among girls, according to a recent study.

Researchers in the United States, New Zealand, and England used data—including regular diagnostic mental health interviews and height and weight measurements throughout childhood and adolescence—from a longitudinal study of a cohort of children born between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973, in Dunedin, New Zealand.

The researchers assessed the relationship between major depression in early or late adolescence and the risk of obesity at age 26. The study appeared in the August Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

After adjusting for each individual’s baseline body-mass index, late-adolescent girls with depression were at a greater than twofold increased risk for obesity in adulthood compared with peers who were not depressed. Moreover, the risk for obesity in adulthood among females increased with the number of depressive episodes in adolescence.

In contrast, there was no association between depression and obesity for late-adolescent boys or early-adolescent boys or girls.

The study was supported by grants from the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, National Institute of Mental Health, W.T. Grant Foundation, Ambulatory Pediatric Association, and Royal Society-Wolfson of London.

The researchers acknowledged that a limitation of the study was its confinement to a single, predominantly white cohort, and they acknowledged that the results may not be generalizable to other populations.

If the same relationships are found in other populations, however, the authors stated, “determining the causes of these age and sex differences may increase our understanding of behavioral correlates of obesity and may allow for the development of interventions to reduce the risk for adult obesity in older adolescent girls.”

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003 157 739