Depressive state and subsequent weight gain in workers: A 4-year follow-up study

Objective: It has been suggested that the presence of a depressive state is a predictor of increase of the body weight. However, to precisely understand the nature of this relationship, the data should be controlled for other factors that can also be associated with weight gain. Methods and Particip...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Work (Reading, Mass.) Mass.), 2011-01, Vol.38 (2), p.123-127
Main Authors: Kawada, Tomoyuki, Inagaki, Hirofumi, Wakayama, Yoko, Katsumata, Masao, Li, Qing, Li, Ying-Ji, Otsuka, Toshiaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adults
Alcohols
Body weight
Cohort Studies
Confounding (Statistics)
Depression
Depression - psychology
Education
Employment - psychology
Follow-Up Studies
Gain
Health
Humans
Japan
Life Style
Lifestyles
Male
Mental depression
Middle Aged
Obesity
Occupational health
Prospective Studies
Regression analysis
Risk
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Weight Gain
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Summary:Objective: It has been suggested that the presence of a depressive state is a predictor of increase of the body weight. However, to precisely understand the nature of this relationship, the data should be controlled for other factors that can also be associated with weight gain. Methods and Participants: To test the hypothesis that the presence of a depressive state is associated with future weight gain, a 4-year prospective occupation-based cohort study was conducted in male adult workers (N=1730) at a railway company. Following the initial screening, follow-up information was obtained via a legally required annual health examination. The presence of a depressive state was identified using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The weight of each participant was measured to the nearest kilogram. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test the association between the depressive state and a weight gain of 4 kg or more over the 4-year study period after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as the age, smoking status, alcohol intake status, and physical activity. Results: A weight gain of 4 kg or more over the 4-year study period was significantly associated with the depressive state, even after controlling for confounding variables (p< 0.05). Short-term longitudinal analysis also revealed an association between the depressive state and subsequent increase of the body weight. Conclusion: Since the depressive state was demonstrated to be an important risk factor for increase of the body weight, further research on depression should be conducted with a view to providing effective health education.
ISSN:1051-9815
1875-9270
DOI:10.3233/WOR-2011-1114