Depressive Symptoms Not Linked With Self-Monitoring of Body Weight in Obese Women

Depressive symptoms are not associated with self-monitoring of body weight in obese women, according to the results of a study published in the April issue of Preventive Medicine.
"Research suggests that overweight and obesity are associated with depressive symptoms, particularly among women," write Jennifer A. Linde, PhD, from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues. "Evidence from weight control trials suggests that higher weighing frequency is associated with greater weight loss or less weight gain. As limited data exist on the effects of self-weighing on body mass index (BMI) among overweight adults with or without depression, this study seeks to examine this issue using data from a population-based epidemiologic survey."
The authors used data from a large population-based cohort of 4655 women aged 40 to 65 years in the greater Seattle, Washington, area who were surveyed from November 2003 to February 2005. Sample-weighted regression models allowed evaluation of the associations of depression, self-weighing frequency, and BMI with demographic factors (race/ethnicity, employment status, smoking status, age, martial status, and educational attainment).
Higher self-weighing frequency and lack of depression status were independently associated with lower BMI, with no interaction observed between depression and self-weighing.
"Frequent self-weighing appears to be associated with lower BMI in both depressed and nondepressed overweight women," the authors write.
Study limitations include reliance on self-report for body weights and self-weighing frequencies and lack of generalizability to the broader US or global populations.
"Results from this study suggest that, after adjusting for BMI, there is no significant association between depressed mood and self-monitoring of body weight in a community-based sample of adult women," the authors conclude. "Given that obesity and depression are positively associated and that self-weighing protects against weight gain, the possibility that frequent weighing among those interested in weight control might improve mood as it improves weight should be explored. Future studies should examine the causal links between depression or related cognitive factors and the effectiveness of frequent self-weighing during weight control."
The National Institute of Mental Health supported this study.