Relationship Between Symptoms of Depression and Smoking and Obesity in Korean Office Workers Younger than 40 Years

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Though many factors have been found to be associated with depression, still many others remain uncovered. There are few studies that have focused on the younger population whose depressive symptoms are socioeconomically more important than that of the older population. This study is designed to clarify if there is a relationship between depression and smoking and obesity in the young population. METHODS: Office workers from 40 companies who underwent medical check-ups in 2011 were initially selected. Of these, 65,309 subjects had responded to self-reported questionnaires on depressive symptoms with 4,187 subjects being excluded on the basis of past medical history and current medication. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relationship between depression and the selected variables. RESULTS: The proportion of high risk groups for depression was significantly high in females. Statistically significant results were only seen in females. Smoking and obesity were related to depression in females as assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale score. Logistic regression analysis also showed that smoking (odds ratio [OR], 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-2.05) and obesity (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.18-1.82) were related to depressive symptoms in females. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms in young female office workers under 40 years of age are related to smoking and obesity. By acting towards stopping smoking and being in a healthy weight category, females may lessen their risk for depression, and thereby lessen their socioeconomic losses.