Adiposity and the first-onset of diagnosed mental illnesses: a population-based cohort study of 10 million UK adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Whether both high and low BMI are risk factors for mental illnesses is unclear, especially serious mental illnesses. Experimental evidence suggests that metabolic pathways might mediate the association, but this is uncertain. To examine associations between BMI and the first-onset of diagnosed mental illnesses with assessment for mediating effects of cardiometabolic disorders.

Methods

Using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2000-2022), individuals ≥ 18 years with a recorded BMI assessment were included. Diagnosed mental illnesses were ascertained via clinical diagnoses, referrals to mental health services, or psychotropic prescriptions. Restricted cubic splines and Cox proportional hazard models estimated associations between BMI and incident mental illn

SUBMITTER: Dong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12763996 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature