Why the study?
Depressive symptoms and cardio-metabolic risk factors often co-occur, but the potential mechanisms and temporal dynamics underlying their co-development remain elusive.
Cohort (n=7,970)
No
This 15-year longitudinal cohort study demonstrates a bidirectional, within-person relationship between depressive symptoms and DEXA-measured adiposity (fat and lean mass indices, but not BMI) from childhood to young adulthood, with adiposity showing a stronger prospective association with future depressive symptoms than vice versa.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Adiposity may warrant monitoring for depressive symptoms in youth; extends longitudinal evidence but leaves open causal inference and intervention targets.
BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms and cardio-metabolic risk factors often co-occur. However, our understanding of the potential mechanisms and temporal dynamics underlying their co-development remains elusive. METHODS: This population-based cohort study examined bidirectional longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and cardio-metabolic risk factors from age 10 to 25 years, using prospective data from the ALSPAC Study. Participants with at least one (of six) follow-up measurement for each outcome were included in the analyses. We measured depressive symptoms through self- as well as parent-reports, and assessed several cardio-metabolic risk factors (including adiposity measures, lipid profiles, and inflammation). RESULTS: Among our 7,970 (47% male, 96% White) participants, we found bidirectional, within-person associations between self-reported depressive symptoms and adiposity (i.e., fat/lean mass index, but not body mass index), across the study period. Adiposity was more stable over time (β [range] = 0.75 [0.54; 0.84]), compared to depressive symptoms (0.26 [0.12; 0.38]), and it had a stronger prospective (i.e., cross-lagged) association with future depressive symptoms (0.07 [0.03, 0.13]) compared to that between depressive symptoms and future adiposity (0.04 [0.03, 0.06]). The magnitude of these associations reached its peak between 14 and 16 years. We did not find evidence of cross-lagged associations in either direction between depressive symptoms and waist circumference, insulin, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, or C-reactive protein. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a bidirectional relationship between depressive symptoms and cardio-metabolic risk factors, particularly adiposity (i.e., fat/lean mass). Adiposity showed a stronger prospective association with future depressive symptoms than vice versa; however, their relationship revealed more reciprocal than previously thought.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Defina et al. (2025) conducted a cohort in Depressive symptoms and cardio-metabolic risk factors (n=7,970). Fat mass index (FMI) and self-reported depressive symptoms (SMFQ) was evaluated on Bidirectional within-person cross-lagged associations between self-reported depressive symptoms (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) and fat mass index (FMI) from age 10 to 25 years (mean β 0.07 (range 0.03-0.13) for FMI to subsequent depressive symptoms; mean β 0.04 (range 0.03-0.06) for depressive symptoms to subsequent FMI).
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: