title: Sarcopenic obesity and risk of new onset depressive symptoms in older adults: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the role of sarcopenic obesity as a risk factor for new-onset depressive symptoms over 6-year follow-up in a large sample of older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 3862 community dwelling participants (1779 men, 2083 women; mean age 64.6±8.3 years) without depressive symptoms at baseline, recruited from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. At baseline and 4-year follow-up, handgrip strength (kg) of the dominant hand was assessed using a hand-held dynamometer, as a measure of sarcopenia. The outcome was new onset depressive symptoms at 6-year follow-up, defined as a score of ⩾4 on the 8-item Centre of Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as obese individuals (body mass index ⩾30 kg m(-)(2)) in the lowest tertile of sex-specific grip strength (<35.3 kg men; <19.6 kg women).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using a multivariable logistic regression model, the risk of depressive symptoms was greatest in obese adults in the lowest tertile of handgrip strength (odds ratio (OR), 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10, 2.89) compared with non-obese individuals with high handgrip strength. Participants who were obese at baseline and had a decrease of more than 1 s.d. in grip strength over 4-year follow-up were at greatest risk of depressive symptoms (OR=1.97, 95% CI, 1.22, 3.17) compared with non-obese with stable grip strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A reduction in grip strength was associated with higher risk of depressive symptoms in obese participants only, suggesting that sarcopenic obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamer
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Batty
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors