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Association of Adiposity and Mental Health Functioning across the Lifespan: Findings from Understanding Society (The UK Household Longitudinal Study)

Author

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  • Apostolos Davillas
  • Michaela Benzeval
  • Meena Kumari

Abstract

Background: Evidence on the adiposity-mental health associations is mixed, with studies finding positive, negative or no associations, and less is known about how these associations may vary by age. Objective: To examine the association of adiposity -body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percentage body fat (BF%)- with mental health functioning across the adult lifespan. Methods: Data from 11,257 participants (aged 18+) of Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study (waves 2 and 3, 5/2010-7/2013) were employed. Regressions of mental health functioning, assessed by the Mental Component Summary (MCS-12) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), on adiposity measures (continuous or dichotomous indicators) were estimated adjusted for covariates. Polynomial age-adiposity interactions were estimated. Results: Higher adiposity was associated with poorer mental health functioning. This emerged in the 30s, increased up to mid-40s (all central adiposity and obesity-BF% measures) or early 50s (all BMI measures) and then decreased with age. Underlying physical health generally accounted for these associations except for central adiposity, where associations remained statistically significant from the mid-30s to50s. Cardiovascular, followed by arthritis and endocrine, conditions played the greatest role in attenuating the associations under investigation. Conclusions: We found strong age-specific patterns in the adiposity-mental health functioning association that varied across adiposity measures. Underlying physical health had the dominant role in attenuating these associations. Policy makers and health professionals should target increased adiposity, mainly central adiposity, as it is a risk factor for poor mental health functioning in those aged between mid-30s to 50 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Apostolos Davillas & Michaela Benzeval & Meena Kumari, 2016. "Association of Adiposity and Mental Health Functioning across the Lifespan: Findings from Understanding Society (The UK Household Longitudinal Study)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0148561
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148561
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Staneva, Anita & Carmignani, Fabrizio & Rohde, Nicholas, 2022. "Personality, gender, and age resilience to the mental health effects of COVID-19," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    2. Burlinson, Andrew & Davillas, Apostolos & Giulietti, Monica & Price, Catherine Waddams, 2024. "Household energy price resilience in the face of gas and electricity market crises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Apostolos Davillas & Andrew M Jones, 2021. "The first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic and its impact on socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress in the UK," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(7), pages 1668-1683, July.
    4. Theo Niyonsenga & Suzanne J Carroll & Neil T Coffee & Anne W Taylor & Mark Daniel, 2020. "Are changes in depressive symptoms, general health and residential area socio-economic status associated with trajectories of waist circumference and body mass index?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Etheridge, Ben & Spantig, Lisa, 2022. "The gender gap in mental well-being at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from the UK," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    6. Kelly, Nichole R. & Osa, Maggie L. & Luther, Gabriella & Guidinger, Claire & Folger, Austin & Williamson, Gina & Esquivel, Juliana & Budd, Elizabeth L., 2024. "Preliminary evaluation of a brief worksite intervention to reduce weight stigma and weight bias internalization," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
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    1. Staneva, Anita & Carmignani, Fabrizio & Rohde, Nicholas, 2022. "Personality, gender, and age resilience to the mental health effects of COVID-19," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    2. Davillas, Apostolos & M. Jones, Andrew, 2020. "The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on inequality of opportunity in psychological distress in the UK," ISER Working Paper Series 2020-07, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    3. Davillas, Apostolos & Jones, Andrew M., 2025. "Ageing, Health and Predicting Future Employment Exits: A Penalised Regression Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 18167, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Etheridge, Ben & Spantig, Lisa, 2022. "The gender gap in mental well-being at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from the UK," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Burlinson, Andrew & Davillas, Apostolos & Giulietti, Monica & Price, Catherine Waddams, 2024. "Household energy price resilience in the face of gas and electricity market crises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    6. Etheridge, Ben & Spantig, Lisa, 2020. "The gender gap in mental well-being during the Covid-19 outbreak: evidence from the UK," ISER Working Paper Series 2020-08, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    7. Apostolos Davillas & Andrew M Jones, 2021. "The first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic and its impact on socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress in the UK," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(7), pages 1668-1683, July.
    8. Theo Niyonsenga & Suzanne J Carroll & Neil T Coffee & Anne W Taylor & Mark Daniel, 2020. "Are changes in depressive symptoms, general health and residential area socio-economic status associated with trajectories of waist circumference and body mass index?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, January.
    9. Kelly, Nichole R. & Osa, Maggie L. & Luther, Gabriella & Guidinger, Claire & Folger, Austin & Williamson, Gina & Esquivel, Juliana & Budd, Elizabeth L., 2024. "Preliminary evaluation of a brief worksite intervention to reduce weight stigma and weight bias internalization," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    10. Burdett, Ashley & Etheridge, Ben & Spantig, Lisa, 2020. "Weather affects mobility but not mental well-being during lockdown," ISER Working Paper Series 2020-13, Institute for Social and Economic Research.

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