Racial and ethnic differences in the association between obesity and depression in women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It is generally accepted that obesity and depression are positively related in women. Very little prior research, however, has examined potential variation in this relationship across different racial/ethnic groups. This paper examines the association between obesity and depression in non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican American women.

Methods

The sample included women aged 20 years and older in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (n=3666). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between obesity and depression syndrome (assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9), after adjusting for covariates. We then investigated whether this association varied by race/ethnicity.

Results

Overall, obese wo

SUBMITTER: Hicken MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3666217 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature