Relationships between obesity and DSM-IV major depressive disorder, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts: Results from a general population study

Objectives. This study sought to test the relationships between relative bo dy weight and clinical depression suicide ideation, and suicide attempts in adult US general population sample. Methods. Respondents were 40 086 African American and White participants in terviewed in a national survey. Outcome measures were past-year major depre ssion, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts diagnosed according to the Di agnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The pr imary predictor was relative body weight, treated both continuously (i.e. b ody mass index [BMI]) and categorically in logistic regression analyses. Co variates included age, income and education, disease status, and drug and a lcohol use. Results. Relative body weight was associated with major depression, suicide attempts, and suicide ideation, although relationships were different for men and women. Among women, increased BMI was associated with both major de pression and suicide ideation. Among men, lower BMI was associated with maj or depression, suicide attempts, and suicide ideation. There were no racial differences. Conclusions. Differences in BMI, or weight status, were associated with the probability of past-year major depression, suicide attempts, and suicide a ttempts, and suicide ideation. Longitudinal studies are needed to different iate the causal pathways and mechanisms linking physical and psychiatric co nditions.