Different mechanisms underlie post-menarchial increase in depression and weight
Publication year
2011Number of pages
6 p.
Source
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 18, 3, (2011), pp. 254-259ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
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Organization
SW OZ BSI OGG
Journal title
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Volume
vol. 18
Issue
iss. 3
Languages used
English (eng)
Page start
p. 254
Page end
p. 259
Subject
Developmental PsychopathologyAbstract
Background Depression and being overweight are correlated health problems in adulthood. Adolescence is a significant period for the onset and increase of depression and obesity, especially among girls. Pubertal development also occurs with concomitant increases in weight. Thus, it is not yet clear whether the association between depression and being overweight can be explained by pubertal development.
Purpose We examined the association between depressive mood, body weight, and pubertal status in adolescent girls.
Method The design was cross-sectional. In 962 young adolescent Dutch girls (age range, 11.9-15.9) weight and height measurements were used to calculate height, age, and gender-standardized body weight (zBMI). Questionnaires assessed depressive mood (the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression, CES-D, inventory) and menarcheal status (pre or post).
Results The correlation between menarcheal status and body weight (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) was not affected by depressive mood, and the correlation between menarcheal status and depressive mood (r = 0.20, p < 0.001) was not affected by body weight. A small correlation between depressive mood and body weight (r = 0.12, p < 0.01) largely disappeared after controlling for menarche.
Conclusion Menarcheal status largely explains the association between weight and depression. It is independently associated with both BMI and depression, suggesting that different mechanisms underlie the post-menarcheal increased prevalence of depression and overweight.
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- Academic publications [238430]
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- Faculty of Social Sciences [29483]
- Open Access publications [97507]
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