Abstract
This paper examines the association between mental health and comorbid obesity and hypertension among US children and adolescents using data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Questionnaires from NHANES were used to assess mental health during the previous 30 days. Respondents were then categorized into two groups namely “poor mental health” and “good mental health” based on their responses to these survey questions. Three multiple logistic regression models, based on these categories, are estimated to compute the odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals in the association of obesity and hypertension and mental health. As a select example, the results of Model 2 reveal that compared with respondents who are not obese, obese respondents have increased odds (OR = 1.24; P < 0.0001) of poor mental health. Furthermore compared with non-hypertensive respondents, hypertensive respondents have higher odds (OR = 2.96; P < 0.0001) of poor mental health. These findings have important implications for mental health management in younger populations. It brings into focus the maintenance of a healthy body mass index and hypertension control in mitigating poor mental health.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Doherty AM, Gaughran F (2014) The interface of physical and mental health. Soc Psychiatr Epidemiol 49:673–682
Stein Dan J et al (2014) Associations between mental disorders and subsequent onset of hypertension. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 36:142–149
Ul-Haq Z, Mackay DT, Fenwick E, Pell JP (2014) Association between BMI and mental health among Scottish adult population: a cross-sectional study of 37272 participants. Psychol Med 44:2231–2240
Halfon N, Larson K, Slusser W (2013) Children at risk: association between obesity and comorbid mental health, developmental, and physical health conditions in a nationally representative sample of US children aged 10-17. Acad Pediatr 13:6–13
Davidson K, Jonas BS, Dixon KE, Markovitz JH (2000) Do depression symptoms predict early hypertension incidence in young adults in the CARDIA study? Arch Intern Med 160:1495–1500
Grimsrud A, Stein DJ, Seedat S, Williams D, Myer L (2009) The association between hypertension and depression and anxiety disorders: results from a nationally-representative sample of South African adults. Plos One 4:1–9
Saluja G, Iachan R, Scheidt PC, Overpeck MD, Sun W, Giedd JN (2004) Prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms among young adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 158:760–765
Birmaher B, Ryan ND, Williamson DE et al (1996) Childhood and adolescent depression: a review of the past 10 years, part I. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 35:1427–1439
Roeser R, Eccles J, Strobel K (1998) Linking the study of schooling and mental health: selected issues and empirical illustrations at the level of the individual. Educ Psychol 33:153–176
Costello EJ, Mustillo S, Erkanli A et al (2003) Prevalence and development of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60:837–844
Craske MG (2003) Origins of phobias and anxiety disorders: why more women than men?. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Wittchen HU, Nelson CB, Lachner G (1998) Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial impairments in adolescents and young adults. Psychol Med 28:109–126
Fletcher JM (2008) Adolescent depression: diagnosis, treatment and educational attainment. Health Econ 17:1215–1235
Kringlen E, Torgersen S, Cramer V (2001) A Norwegian psychiatric epidemiological study. Am J Psychiatry 158:1091–1098
Reeves GM, Postolache TT, Snitker S (2008) Childhood Obesity and Depression: Connection between these growing problems in growing children. Int J Child Health Hum Dev 1:103–114
Jones-Webb R, Jacobs DR, Flack JM, Lui K (1996) Relationship between depressive symptoms, anxiety, alcohol consumption, and blood pressure: results from the CARDIA study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 20:420–427
Townsend MH, Bologna NB, Berbee JG (1998) Heart rate and blood pressure in panic disorder, major depression, and comorbid panic disorder with major depression. Psychiatry Res 79:187–190
Scalco AZ, Scalco MZ, Azul JBS, Lotufo NF (2005) Hypertension and depression. Clinics 60:241–250
Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM (2012) Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999–2010. JAMA 307:483–490
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). About the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Rutledge T, Hogan BE (2002) A quantitative review of prospective evidence linking psychological factors with hypertension development. Psychosom Med 64:758–766
Kaplan MS, Nunes A (2003) The psychosocial determinants of hypertension. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 13:52–59
Evans DL, Charney DS, Lewis L, Golden RN, Gorman JM, Krishnan RRR et al (2005) Mood disorders in the medically ill: scientific review and recommendations. Biol Psychiatry 58:175–189
Greden J (2001) The burden of recurrent depression: causes, consequences, and future prospects. J Clin Psychiatry 62:5–9
Lewinsohn PM, Rhode P, Klein DN, Seeley JR (1999) Natural course of adolescent major depressive disorder, I: continuity into young adulthood. J Am Acad Adolesc Psychiatry 38:56–63
Weissman MM, Wolk S, Goldstein RB et al (1999) Depressed adolescents grown up. JAMA 281:1707–1713
Conflict of interest
The authors report no conflict of interest to disclose.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tevie, J., Shaya, F.T. Association between mental health and comorbid obesity and hypertension among children and adolescents in the US. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 24, 497–502 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-014-0598-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-014-0598-8