title: The association between lower birth weight and comorbid generalised anxiety and major depressive disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies testing the association between birth weight and depression or anxiety have found inconsistent results and there has been a lack of research on the possible relationship between birth weight and comorbid anxiety and depression. We tested for an association between lower birth weight and major depression, generalised anxiety and comorbid generalised anxiety and major depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was taken from 2113 mothers and their offspring participating in the Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) birth cohort. Generalised anxiety, major depression and comorbid generalised anxiety and major depression at 21 years were tested for associations with birth weight using multinomial logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower birth weight was found to predict comorbid generalised anxiety and major depression, but did not predict either generalised anxiety or major depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were unable to specify comorbidity by the primary disorder, or by the severity or recurrence of the depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous associations found between birth weight and mental health may reflect a specific link between lower birth weight and comorbid generalised anxiety and major depressive disorders. As neither disorder individually was associated with lower birth weight, this may suggest that this developmental origin represents a unique risk pathway to comorbidity not shared with either discrete disorder.
authors.affiliation: Care of Rosa Alati, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, 4th floor, Public Health Building, Herston Rd, Herston QLD 4006, Australia. kim.betts@uqconnect.edu.au
authors.forename: Kim Steven
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Betts
authors.forename: Gail M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jacob M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Najman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult