Being overweight or obese during childhood is a stronger predictor of depression later in life. Maintaining normal weight from early life can prevent depression.
Highlights:
Being overweight during childhood may increase the lifetime risk of depression, finds a new study by a research team from the Deborah Gibson-Smith from VU University Medical Center, Netherlands.
The study presented at the European Congress on Obesity found that being overweight at the age of eight or 13 can triple the risk of major depression. - Overweight and obesity could be a predictor of subsequent depression in lifetime.
- Carrying excess weight during childhood (8 to 13 years) tripled the risk of depression.
- Being overweight during childhood and adulthood quadrupled the depression risk.
Childhood Obesity - Criteria - Causes - Complications, Treatment
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges in the developing countries and needs to be understood and tackled effectively.
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges in the developing countries and needs to be understood and tackled effectively.
‘Being overweight at age 8 or 13 was associated with more than triple the risk of developing major depression in adulthood.’
Studies have shown that obesity can increase the risk of depression. But, very few have looked at the influence of childhood obesity or age-related effect of obesity on depression. Relationship Between Being Overweight in Childhood and Depression Risk
The research team investigated the link between being overweight in childhood and depression risk. The study involved 889 participants from the population-based AGES (Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility)-Reykjavik Study (2002-06), which examined people born between 1907-35 and living in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1967.
Obesity - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications, Treatment
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Between 2002 and 2006, a random sample of surviving participants from the Reykjavik study were invited to join the AGES study. The average age of the participant was 75 years.
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High Parental Education Increases Discrimination, Depression Risk in Black Young Adults
Black participants whose parents had advanced or professional degrees reported discrimination, almost twice as high as white young adults from similarly educated families.
Black participants whose parents had advanced or professional degrees reported discrimination, almost twice as high as white young adults from similarly educated families.
A person is considered overweight if the body mass index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9. During the study, 39 participants were diagnosed with depression.
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Chronic Childhood Illness may Increase Depression Risk Later in Life
Children suffering from chronic physical illness may be at increased risk of having depression and anxiety in adulthood.
Children suffering from chronic physical illness may be at increased risk of having depression and anxiety in adulthood.
Being overweight or obese between eight and 13 years of age increased the risk of lifetime major depressive disorder. The research team also found that being overweight during childhood and carrying excess weight in adulthood quadrupled the chance of developing depression compared to only being overweight as an adult.
The findings of the study add evidence to the earlier studies that report an increased risk of depression in young people who are obese.
"Our findings suggest that some of the underlying mechanisms linking overweight or obesity to depression stem from childhood. A shared genetic risk or low self-esteem, which is frequently associated with those who do not conform to the ideal body type, could be responsible,” said the authors.
“Given the rise in adolescents' obesity and greater influence of social media on body image, understanding the associations between childhood obesity and depression is critical," they added.
Facts on Childhood Obesity
- Globally, 42 million children are overweight or obese
- Majority of the overweight and obese children live in developing countries
- More than one in three children are overweight in the US
- One in five children between two and 19 years are obese
- Childhood obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer in adulthood
- Facts and figures on childhood obesity - (http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/facts/en)
Source-Medindia
