Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender differences in the association between body mass index (BMI) and depression status among middle-aged and elderly people living in the community in Taiwan. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in northern Taiwan. 243 males and 607 females, aged 50-80 years were eligible for analysis. The participants were categorized in different depression status base on questionnaire according to gender. We applied Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale 10-item version (CESD-10) questionnaire to evaluate participant's depression status. The statistical methods of Chi-square test were used to explored the correlation between depression status and categorical variables, including education level, marital status, BMI, self-reported health status, current smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, employment status, income, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, we also applied multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 850 participants, 243 men and 607 women, were included in the analysis. They were classified into 2 categories by CESD-10 score with cut-off point of 8 in male and female group respectively. There is a significant difference between BMI and depression status in women (p<0.01). However, no significant relationship (p=0.06) between BMI and depression status was found in male group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that BMI<18.5 subclass has a significant relationship (p=0.02, OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.23-11.46) with depression status in female group. Conclusions: Our study suggests that BMI below 18.5 is an independent risk factor for depression in females. Thus, when we visit thin middle-aged and elderly female patient, performing depression screening method should be taken into account in our clinical practice, especially those BMI below 18.5.
目的:本研究旨在探討台灣社區居住的中老年人群中身體質量指數(body mass index, BMI)與憂鬱狀態之間的性別差異。方法:這是一個在台灣北部進行的橫斷面研究。年齡介於50至80歲的243名男性和607名女性納入統計。依照不同的性別,參與者根據問卷分數被分類為不同的憂鬱狀態。我們採用了流行病學研究中心憂鬱量表10項版本(CESD-10)問卷來評估參與者的憂鬱狀態。並探討了憂鬱症與教育水平、婚姻狀況、BMI、自覺健康量表、吸菸習慣、飲酒習慣、運動、就業、收入、高血壓、糖尿病和高血脂的相關性。我們使用卡方檢定來比較類別變項之間的關係,而多元邏輯斯迴歸分析則使用來探討BMI與憂鬱狀態(CESD-10 ≥ 8分)之間的關聯性。結果:將參與者根據性別與CESD-10切點8分分析。結果在男性組中,BMI與憂鬱狀態之間沒有顯著關聯(p=0.06)在女性,BMI和自覺健康量表與憂鬱狀態則存在顯著相關性(p<0.01)。我們使用多元邏輯斯迴歸分析,發現在女性組中BMI<18.5的族群與憂鬱狀態有顯著關聯(p=0.02, OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.23-11.46)。結論:研究表明BMI低於18.5是女性憂鬱症的一個獨立風險因素。因此,我們建議對於BMI低於18.5體型瘦弱的中老年女性應進行憂鬱症篩檢。也強調維持適當的體重有助於改善心理健康,尤其是中老年女性。