title: The role of obesity measures in the development and persistence of major depressive disorder.
abstract: The role of obesity with the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) requires conformation and whether obesity contributes to more chronic depression in persons with established (MDD) is unknown. This study examined the longitudinal relationship of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference with the incidence and persistence of MDD over 2-year and 6-year periods.
  
  
  
  Data were sourced from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. MDD was established with Composite International Diagnostic Interviews. The relationship of BMI and waist circumference with the development of depression two and six years later were estimated in the subsample with no current psychopathology at baseline. Associations with the persistence of depression was estimated in the subsample with current MDD.
  
  
  
  Higher BMI at baseline, but not waist circumference, slightly increased the odds of the development of MDD after two years (odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation increase: 1.11; p=0.03), This relationship was not significant after adjustment for health and lifestyle variables. Conversely, over a 6-year period both BMI and waist circumference moderately increased the odds of developing MDD even after adjustment (OR:1.17; p=0.05, OR:1.20; p=0.05). Persistence of MDD in currently depressed subjects, is not related with BMI or waist circumference (adjusted OR:0.93; p=0.2, OR:0.91; p=0.15).
  
  
  
  Development of depression may differ in participants lost to follow-up.
  
  
  
  Over a 6 year period, patients with higher BMI show a slightly increased risk of development of depression. However, in depressed patients there is no relationship between BMI and the persistence of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry/ EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, and GGZ inGeest Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: d.gibson-smith@ggzingeest.nl.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibson-Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry/ EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, and GGZ inGeest Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mariska
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bot
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry/ EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, and GGZ inGeest Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nadine Pg
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Paans
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry/ EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, and GGZ inGeest Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Brenda Wjh
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Penninx
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult