Prospective Bidirectional Relations Between Depression and Metabolic Health: 30 Year Follow-up from the NHLBI CARDIA Study

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated prospective bidirectional relationships between depression and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the moderating effects of race, sex, and health behaviors in a diverse cohort followed for 30 years. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the NHLBI CARDIA study, a 30 year-prospective study of young adults (N = 5113; M age = 24.76 (SD = 3.63) at baseline; 45% male) who were tested every 5 years between 1985–2015. Measures included biological assessments of MetS components, and self-reported depressive symptoms based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD) scale. Data analyses included bi-directional general estimating equations analyses of time-lagged associations between depressive symptoms and MetS. RESULTS: There was a consistent, bi-directional relationship between depressive symptoms and MetS over time. Individuals with more CESD depressive symptoms were more likely to develop MetS over time compared to those reporting fewer symptoms (Wald Chi-Square = 7.09 (1), p < 0.008), and MetS was similarly predictive of CESD. MetS more consistently predicted depressive symptoms at each 5-year exam than depressive symptoms predicted MetS. Race and sex moderated relationships between depression and MetS, with White females, White individuals overall, and females overall demonstrating significant relationships. Health behaviors were not related to depression-MetS associations. CONCLUSION: In a diverse young adult population prospectively followed into late middle age, MetS more consistently predicted depression over time than depression predicted MetS. The relation between MetS and depressive symptoms was moderated by race and sex, but not health behaviors.