Obesity, physical activity, and depressive symptoms in a cohort of adults aged 51 to 61.
OBJECTIVE
To determine associations between changes in obesity and vigorous physical activity (PA) status and depressive symptoms in a cohort aged 51 to 61 years at baseline.


METHODS
Two waves (1992, 1998) of Health and Retirement Study data were used to divide participants into four obesity and four vigorous PA status categories based on change in or maintenance of their 1992 status in 1998. Depressive symptoms were defined as the upper quintile score (women >/= 4, men >/= 3) on the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Logistic regression determined adjusted odds ratios for depressive symptoms associated with obesity and vigorous PA status.


RESULTS
Among men, no significant associations were found. Among women, decreasing from high vigorous PA status and maintenance of obese status were independently associated with increased odds for depressive symptoms in 1998.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings illustrate the importance of examining gender differences in studies of risk factors for depression.
Carroll
Dianna D
DD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. feu9@cdc.gov
Blanck
Heidi M
HM
Serdula
Mary K
MK
Brown
David R
DR
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011594:Psychometrics; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology