title: BMI and waist circumference as predictors of well-being in older adults: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the association of BMI and waist circumference (WC), with a quality of life (QoL) indicator designed for older ages (CASP19), and with depressive symptoms (Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). We included 8,688 individuals aged ≥52 years who participants of Wave 2 (2004-2005) and Wave 3 (2006-2007) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). To explore cross-sectional relationships (2004-2005), we fitted regression models for BMI and WC (included simultaneously) as our predictors of QoL and depressive symptoms adjusted for covariates. To explore longitudinal relationships, BMI and waist at baseline (2004-2005) were related to the each outcome variable measured at follow-up (2006-2007), and adjusted for baseline characteristics (2004-2005). For a given BMI, larger WC was associated with lower QoL and higher risk of depressive symptoms for women in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. By contrast for a given WC increased BMI for women was positively associated with QoL and lower odds of depressive symptoms. In men, for a given BMI, increased WC was related to QoL only cross-sectionally; neither WC nor BMI at baseline were associated with depressive symptoms (cross-sectionally or longitudinally). In conclusion among older people, for a given BMI, increased WC was related with higher risk of poor QoL and, for women, of depressive symptoms; whereas for a given WC, increased BMI had a protective effect on QoL for women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK. p.zaninotto@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zaninotto
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Breeze
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference