title: Depressive state and subsequent weight gain in workers: A 4-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been suggested that the presence of a depressive state is a predictor of increase of the body weight. However, to precisely understand the nature of this relationship, the data should be controlled for other factors that can also be associated with weight gain.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test the hypothesis that the presence of a depressive state is associated with future weight gain, a 4-year prospective occupation-based cohort study was conducted in male adult workers (N=1730) at a railway company. Following the initial screening, follow-up information was obtained via a legally required annual health examination. The presence of a depressive state was identified using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The weight of each participant was measured to the nearest kilogram. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test the association between the depressive state and a weight gain of 4 kg or more over the 4-year study period after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as the age, smoking status, alcohol intake status, and physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A weight gain of 4 kg or more over the 4-year study period was significantly associated with the depressive state, even after controlling for confounding variables (p< 0.05). Short-term longitudinal analysis also revealed an association between the depressive state and subsequent increase of the body weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the depressive state was demonstrated to be an important risk factor for increase of the body weight, further research on depression should be conducted with a view to providing effective health education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Japan. kawada@nms.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wakayama
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ying-Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain