Abstract
This study examined the relationships between varying levels of depressive symptoms and key dietary indicators of chronic disease risk, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and fruit and vegetable (F + V) consumption, among a racially/ethnically diverse urban population in Los Angeles County (LAC). Analyses were carried out using data from a 2012 cross-sectional health survey of 1401 low-income public health center clients. Participants with a high level of depressive symptoms consumed 30% more SSBs (IRR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.55) than participants with a lower level of these symptoms. Other predictors of higher SSB consumption included being African American/Black (IRR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.32, 2.05), male (IRR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.35), U.S. born (IRR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.57), and using tobacco (IRR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.43). Similar associations with F + V consumption were not found. Findings suggest that depressive symptoms may influence certain health behaviors in certain groups under certain situations. Policy and practice implications are discussed within this context.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Jennifer Cloud and the team at the Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for their technical support and supervision of the LAHANES-II data collection. Findings and conclusions in the article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or any organization mentioned in the text.
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This study describes an analysis of existing data from a project that was supported in part by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cooperative agreement, #3U58DP002485-01S1.
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The authors Brenda Robles, Mirna Ponce Jewell, Courtney S. Thomas, Lisa V. Smith and Tony Kuo have no conflict of interests to report.
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Robles, B., Jewell, M.P., Thomas Tobin, C.S. et al. Varying levels of depressive symptoms and lifestyle health behaviors in a low income, urban population. J Behav Med 44, 212–221 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00179-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00179-6