title: Depressive symptoms in adolescence: a poor indicator of increases in body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the association between depressive symptoms and subsequent body mass index (BMI) z scores among early-to-mid adolescents, extending previous research by using objectively measured weight and height data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Latent growth curve analysis was used to examine whether growth parameters of zBMI could be predicted by depressive symptoms (n = 2,051 adolescents, 48.5% female, at baseline; 1,465 with data at all three time points). Specifically, we tested whether depressive symptoms were associated with the initial assessment of BMI (intercept) as well as with changes in BMI over time (slope). Analyses were performed for the total group, and separately for boys and girls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depressive symptoms were not associated with the slope of zBMI. In girls, but not boys, depressive symptoms were positively associated with the intercept of zBMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that although depressive symptoms among females are associated with a higher zBMI, they do not predict excessive weight gain during early-to-mid adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.larsen@pwo.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Junilla K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.affiliation: Center for Obesity Research and Education, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jennifer O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rutger C M E
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engels
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Adolescents; Depressive symptoms; Latent growth curve analyses; Overweight; Prospective