Does the association between depression and smoking vary by body mass index (BMI) category?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore how weight might influence the relationship between depression and smoking.


METHODS
Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey representative of women age 40-65 enrolled in Group Health Cooperative, a health plan serving members in Washington and northern Idaho (n=4640). We examined the relationships between depression and smoking in normal weight, overweight, and obese women using weighted multiple logistic regression with both minimal and full adjustment.


RESULTS
Current depression was significantly associated with current smoking in obese women (adjusted odds ratio=2.48, 95% confidence interval=1.26-4.88) but not in underweight/normal or overweight women. Among ever smokers, obese women, but not other groups, were significantly less likely to have quit smoking in the past.


CONCLUSIONS
In our preliminary study, the association between smoking and depression in middle-aged women appears to be limited to the obese subset and may stem from a lesser likelihood of obese ever smokers to have quit. This population represents an important target for preventive medicine efforts.
Widome
Rachel
R
Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. widome@umn.edu
Linde
Jennifer A
JA
Rohde
Paul
P
Ludman
Evette J
EJ
Jeffery
Robert W
RW
Simon
Gregory E
GE
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*