Is obesity associated with depression in low- and middle-income countries? Longitudinal evidence from Indonesia
Authors' conclusion
Contrary to high-income countries, we found no evidence of an association between depressive symptoms and overweight among adolescents in Indonesia, while depressive symptoms are associated with reduced risk of overweight among adults. Findings may be due to lower overweight stigma in Indonesia's socio-cultural environment, potential depressive symptom underestimation, and a moderating role of socioeconomic status. Given the rising overweight burden in Indonesia, our results highlight the need to prioritise policies addressing structural causes rather than individual factors, in order to avoid promoting overweight stigma and safeguard mental health.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents aged 14–19 and adults aged ≥20 from the 2007 and 2015 Indonesia Family Life Survey; depressive symptoms by CES-D-10; overweight/obesity BMI ≥ 23 from nurse-measured anthropometry
- Participants
- 3,360 vs 25,669
- Exposure
- Overweight/obesity vs not overweight
- Adolescentsn = 3,360
- Adultsn = 25,669
- Outcome
- Association between overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 23) and depressive symptoms (CES-D-10)
Methodological detailslinear random and individual fixed effect models, stratified by gender and age group
- Linear random and individual fixed effect models
- Stratified by gender and age group
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Adolescents: no association
−0.32
95% CI −0.84, 0.21
Adults: becoming overweight associated with significant reduction in depressive symptoms
−0.25
95% CI −0.43, −0.08
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- No evidence of significant differences by sex
Original publication
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