Lifetime psychiatric disorders and body composition: A population-based study

Williams, Lana J.; Pasco, Julie A.; Henry, Margaret J.; Jacka, Felice N.; Dodd, Seetal; Nicholson, Geoffrey C.; Kotowicz, Mark A.; Berk, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.02.001

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 118, Issue 1 , Pages 173-179, November 2009

Lifetime psychiatric disorders and body composition: A population-based study

Lana J. Williams
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 3 5260 3085; fax: +61 3 5246 5165.
Julie A. Pasco
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Margaret J. Henry
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Felice N. Jacka
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Seetal Dodd
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Geoffrey C. Nicholson
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Mark A. Kotowicz
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
Michael Berk
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences: Barwon Health, The University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong 3220, Australia
- Orygen Research Centre, Parkville, Australia
- Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Australia

Received 10 December 2008; received in revised form 1 February 2009; accepted 2 February 2009.

Abstract

Background

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive and anxiety disorders and indices of adiposity, including body fat mass and percent body fat, as measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Methods

In this observational study of 979 randomly-selected women aged 20–93 years, psychiatric history was ascertained using a structured clinical interview (SCID-I/NP). Total body fat was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and weight, height and waist circumference were measured. Medication use and lifestyle factors were self-reported.

Results

Those with a lifetime history of depression had increased fat mass (+7.4%) and percent body fat (+4.3%), as well as greater mean weight (+3.3%), waist circumference (+2.9%) and BMI (+3.5%) after adjustment for age, anxiety, alcohol consumption, physical activity and past smoking. Furthermore, those meeting criteria for a lifetime history of depression had a 1.7-fold increased odds of being overweight or obese (BMI≥25), a 2.0-fold increased odds of being obese (BMI≥30) and a 1.8-fold increased odds of having a waist circumference ≥80 cm. These patterns persisted after further adjustment for psychotropic medication use, smoking status and energy intake. No differences in any measures of adiposity were observed among those with anxiety disorders compared to controls.

Limitations

There is potential for unrecognised confounding, interpretations are limited to women and a temporal relationship could not be inferred.

Conclusions

Depression was associated with greater adiposity. The difference in body fat mass was numerically greater than differences in indirect measures of adiposity, suggesting that the latter may underestimate the extent of adiposity in this population.

Keywords: Depressive disorders, Anxiety disorders, Body composition, Adiposity, Psychiatric epidemiology, Imaging techniques