New research links early adolescent weight gain to higher depression risks in teen years
Recent studies indicate a strong correlation between elevated body mass index (BMI) in children and increased instances of depression during their teenage years. This correlation, as pinpointed in the comprehensive research conducted by King’s College London, has flagged early adolescence as a critical period wherein weight gain can significantly influence the onset of depressive symptoms later on in life.
The King’s College London team analysed data from over 10,000 twins born from 1994 to 1996, charting their height and weight at ages 12, 16, and 21 to determine their BMI. Additionally, the young participants filled out questionnaires that helped monitor depression symptoms such as feelings of loneliness, low moods, and exhaustion.
The insights derived from the research underscored a higher tendency among children with overweight to develop depression, a risk amplified the earlier in life they started to experience weight issues. Particularly, the span between 12 and 16 years was identified as a “sensitive point,” with weight gains during this period more strongly linked to later depression compared to gains between the ages of 16 and 21.
Senior co-author of the study, Thalia Eley, Professor of Developmental Behavioural Genetics, highlighted the significant role of early adolescence in the co-evolution of obesity and depressive tendencies. She further underscored the urgency of adopting a proactive approach to fostering positive body image and wellbeing, as opposed to merely focusing on weight, to thwart the onset of depression in later years.
Echoing these sentiments, the study’s principal author, Dr. Ellen Thompson emphasised the imperative need to unravel the intricacies of the mental health-weight nexus in adolescence to devise timely and effective support mechanisms. While the current study did not delve into the underlying causes of the observed relationship, earlier studies have pointed to factors like body dissatisfaction and external weight-related stigma as potent triggers.
In light of the increasing concerns around obesity and mental health disorders amongst the UK’s youth — a demographic where one-third have overweight or obesity by the time they finish primary school — the researchers propose that educational institutions integrate positive body image narratives in their curriculum.
These recommendations come against a backdrop of an alarming rise in child mental health crises, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and sustained school closures which have put unprecedented demand on the NHS’s mental health services for young people. According to recent statistics, one in four older teenagers are grappling with “probable” mental health disorders, a spectrum that encompasses depression and anxiety symptoms.
Furthermore, the persistent pressures from social media and the bottleneck created by long waiting lists for accessing mental health services portray a grim landscape for the younger generation. The scholars behind the study press for urgent interventions to mitigate this rapidly spiralling crisis, urging for a renewed focus on promoting a healthy body image to stave off depression and foster mental wellbeing among youth.
