title: Obesity and depressive symptoms in elderly Japanese: the Tsurugaya Project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to examine the association between obesity and depressive symptoms in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1128 community-dwelling elderly Japanese aged 70 years or older in 2002. We calculated the body mass index [BMI=weight (kg)/height (m)2] from measured weight and height and evaluated depressive symptoms using the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS 30), with a cut-off point of 11.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, no apparent association was observed between BMI and depressive symptoms. An inverse linear trend was observed in women overall, but stratified analysis of chronic medical conditions, such as stroke or cancer, showed an inverse association was evident only among women with the conditions. Among women without these chronic conditions, no apparent association was evident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No apparent association was observed in men overall or in apparently healthy women. An inverse trend was observed only in women with chronic medical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Forensic Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. kuriyama-thk@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda-Ohmori
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimazu
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hozawa
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awata
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsuji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support