According to a report published today in the International Journal of Obesity, childhood depression is linked to adult onset of asthma and obesity. Gregor Hasler and colleagues analysed data on 4,547 subjects at six times over a 25 year period from 1978. The study reveals for the first time an additional link to depression alongside the other conditions.
The authors investigated how many of the people suffered from childhood depression and compared this with those who later became obese or developed asthma. Using data from a prospective community study collected over a 20-year period they were able to explore the role played by symptoms of depression in associations between asthma and body weight. The study concludes that depressive symptoms during childhood are associated with adult obesity and asthma. The research should not only help improve our understanding of the pathology of obesity and asthma but hints that the neurobiology of depression is different at the time of childhood and adolescence when compared to adulthood.
As ever with this kind of research, the team covers its collective back with a caveat arguing that “further research into the mechanisms and psychosocial factors is required.” That also means they’ve got something to include in their next grant application, of course.