Cynical hostility, depression, and obesity: the moderating role of education and gender.
OBJECTIVE
We examined how education and gender moderate the association of obesity with cynical hostility and depression.


METHODS
Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), years of education, cynical hostility (CynDis), depression (Beck Depression Inventory) were examined in a cross-sectional study of 1,547 men and 1,814 women, aged 25-64.


RESULTS
Education moderates the positive association between cynical distrust and obesity among women in a such way that cynical distrust was not related to BMI or WHR among highly educated women. Depression had a positive association with WHR after age and education among both genders and among women with BMI. Bivariate associations between psychological factors and obesity measures were similar among men and women.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest the importance of examining socioeconomic status (SES) together with psychological factors related to obesity.
Haukkala
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National Public Health Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Health Education Research Unit, Helsinki, Finland. Ari.Haukkala@ktl.fi
Uutela
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D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors