title: Central or overall obesity: which one is a better predictor of depressive symptoms in children, adolescents, and youths?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the strong effect of central obesity on individuals' physical health outcomes, there is little evidence underlying the relationship between central obesity and mental disorders such as depression, especially in children, adolescents, and youths of the developing countries. This study explores the relationship between depressive symptoms (DS) with central and overall obesity in a sample of Iranian children, adolescents, and youths.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand and fifty-two male participants ranging from 7 to 24 years old underwent standard anthropometry, and filled the DS questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having controlled the potential confounders (e.g., age, socioeconomic status, pubertal maturation status, and physical activity), we found waist circumference (WC) significantly related to DS in the children (standardized β = 0.14; P < 0.05) and adolescents (standardized β = 0.13; P < 0.05). No significant relationship was observed between WC and DS in the youths (standardized β = 0.09; P = 0.22). In addition, no significant relationship was observed between DS and the percentage of fat in the sampled children (standardized β = 0.085; P = 0.13), adolescents (standardized β = 0.10; P = 0.10), and youths (standardized β = -0.02; P = 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central obesity (but not overall obesity) was a significant predictor of DS in the children and adolescents (7-18 years). However, DS in the youths (19-24 years) were not significantly associated with both the central and overall body obesity indices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. samad_esmaeilzadeh@uma.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Samad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esmaeilzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farzizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan-Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kalantari
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Asghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Omid Yousefi
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Bilehsavar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Azad University of Ardabil, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehranpour
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Children; Depressive symptoms; Fat percentage; Physical activity; Waist circumference