The Association between Obesity and Depressed Mood in the Elderly across Countries: A Multilevel Approach
Date Issued
2016
Date
2016
Author(s)
Syu, Shu-Ting
Abstract
Background: As the global aging population continues to grow, the prevalence of obesity and depression in elders are also increasing. The relationship between obesity and depression are controversial. In 1976, scholars have proposed ""Jolly Fat"" hypothesis which found obese elderly to have lower levels of depression, anxiety, and other psychological distress. Many studies across different countries have shown support for gender differences in ""Jolly Fat"". However, further research is needed to explore whether the “Jolly Fat” phenomenon in elders still exist. Objective: To investigate the effect of overweight or obesity on depressed mood in elders, and whether there is a difference in gender and race. Methods: Data was analyzed from 2011 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) on health module with total of 9,694 subjects aged 65 or above, including 31 countries across America, Europe, and Asia. Hierarchical Linear Models were conducted to determine the association between obesity and depressed mood on individual- and country-level. The country-level variables were human development index and the prevalence of obesity. Results: Obese elderly have a higher level of depressed mood across countries as compared to normal weight elderly. In terms of gender differences, underweight men and obese women have a higher level of depressed mood as compared to normal weight counterparts. Only overweight male have a lower level of depressed mood as compared to normal weight counterparts. However, underweight elderly, especially females who lived in countries with high prevalence of obesity, presented a higher level of depressed mood. Conclusions: ""Jolly Fat"" phenomenon only occurred in overweight male elderly. Obese elderly, underweight men, and obese women have a higher level of depressed mood. The association between underweight and depressed mood in the elderly was affected by the prevalence of obesity, resulting in cross-level interaction. Health-related departments should pay attention not only to obese, but also to underweight elderly. Keywords: elderly, obesity, depression, country, hierarchical linear models
Subjects
elderly
obesity
depression
country
hierarchical linear models
SDGs
Type
thesis
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-105-R03848016-1.pdf
Size
23.32 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):fb2c9a20997c01d12bf775e82722daab