Visceral Adiposity Index Is a Measure of the Likelihood of Developing Depression Among Adults in the United States

BACKGROUND: Depression is a serious mental disorder often accompanied by emotional and physiological disorders. Visceral fat index (VAI) is the current standard method in the evaluation of visceral fat deposition. In this study, we explored the association between VAI and depression in the American population using NHANES data. METHODS: A total of 2,577 patients were enrolled for this study. Data were collected through structured questionnaires. Subgroup analysis for the relationship between VAI and depression was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: For every 1 unit increase in VAI, the clinical depression increased by 14% (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25). High VAI scores (T3) increased the highest risk of developing depression (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.2–4.47). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a strong and stable association between VAI and the development of depression. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that depressive symptoms are associated with a high ratio of visceral adiposity index after controlling confounding factors.