Key result
Higher TG/HDL-C ratio is linked to ~12% increased depression risk in a J-shaped pattern.
Why the study?
Lipid disturbances are frequent in depressive patients, but whether a higher triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio increases the risk of depression remained unclear.
Does a higher TG/HDL-C ratio increase the risk of depression in US adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=19,297)
Does a higher TG/HDL-C ratio increase the risk of depression in US adults?
A higher TG/HDL-C ratio has a J-shaped association with an increased risk of depression in US adults, particularly above a threshold of 0.402.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Association with depression risk should not change practice; leaves open causal role pending prospective studies.
Lipid profile disturbances are frequently observed in depressive patients. Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) can be reflective of the level of blood lipids. However, it remains unclear whether higher TG/HDL-C increases the risk of depression. This study aimed to investigate the association between TG/HDL-C and depression. In this cross-sectional study, 19,297 participants were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2020. A weighted multivariable logistic regression model, restricted cubic spline regression model and threshold effect analysis were used to explore the association and dose-response relationship of TG/HDL-C with depression risk in the total population and subgroups. A total of 19,297 participants who had complete data on TG/HDL-C and depression measurement were included in this study (mean age 50 years, 51% female). Participants with depression had higher TG/HDL-C than those without depression. TG/HDL-C was associated with an increased risk of depression after adjusting for all covariates (in model 3: OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-1.21, P = 0.005). Moreover, a nonlinear J-shaped relationship was observed between TG/HDL-C ratio and the risk of depression, with an inflection point of 0.402 by threshold effect analysis. These findings indicate that TG/HDL-C has a J-shaped association with the risk of depression.
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Tang et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Depression (n=19,297). Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) vs. Lower TG/HDL-C ratio was evaluated on Risk of depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.21, p=0.005). Higher TG/HDL-C ratio was independently associated with an increased risk of depression in a nonlinear J-shaped relationship among US adults.
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