SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND CHANGES IN BODY-WEIGHT FROM ADOLESCENCE TOMIDLIFE

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of symptoms of depression t o weight changes in healthy individuals of normal weight across a foll ow-up of over 20 y. PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN: College students (3885 me n and 841 women) were administered a self-report depression measure in the mid-1960s. Their baseline body mass index (BMI) was calculated fr om their college medical records. Participants were contacted by mail in the late 1980s and asked to report their current height and weight as well as their smoking and exercise habits. Another measure of depre ssive symptoms was obtained from 3560 individuals at follow-up. Multip le regression models were used to relate changes in weight to depressi on scores while controlling for background (gender, baseline BMI and t he gender by BMI interaction) and behavioral (exercise and smoking) pr edictors. RESULTS: The relationship between depressive symptoms and bo dy weight change took the form of an interaction with baseline BMI (P < 0.001). Those with high baseline depression scores gained less weigh t than their nondepressed counterparts if they were initially lean, bu t more if they were initially heavy. This trend was especially strong in those with high depression scores at both baseline and follow-up. C ONCLUSIONS: The findings support the hypothesis that depression exagge rates pre-existing weight change tendencies. This pattern would not ha ve been detected by an examination of main effects alone, illustrating the need to move toward more complicated interactive models in the st udy of psychological factors and weight.