Racial and gender differences in the association between depressive symptoms and higher body mass index

Background: According to meta-analysis of prior studies, depression leads to higher body mass index (BMI) in adults. The study focuses on an area of limited research, specifically the racial and gender differences in the association between depressive symptoms and higher BMI. Methods: In Genesee County, Michigan, random samples of households were drawn from census tracts. The Speak to Your Health Survey was administered among adults aged 18 years and older in these households. Data from three waves of survey data collection (2007, 2009, and 2011) were combined resulting in a sample of 3,381 adults. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI. Depressive symptoms were assessed with items from the Brief Symptoms Inventory. A step-wise linear regression identified unique relationships between BMI and age, gender, race, education, depressive symptoms, and the interaction terms for demographic variables with depressive symptoms. Results: The three significant predictors of BMI were gender, gender x depressive symptoms, and race x depressive symptoms. Results indicated that women had a higher BMI than men did, and that depressive symptoms were stronger predictors of BMI for women and African Americans than for men and non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms are a greater risk factor for higher BMI in African Americans than non-Hispanic Whites, and in women compared to men. African Americans have a reduced likelihood to seek mental health services to treat their depressive symptoms than non-Hispanic Whites, which may further exacerbate their obesity risk. Intervention to reduce depressive symptoms may help prevent obesity in African Americans.