Objective: The study purpose was to examine the association between changes in depressive symptoms and changes in lifestyle-related indicators among adults with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: A longitudinal survey was conducted among individuals with type 2 diabetes in Quebec. The sample consisted of 1183 subjects who responded to the baseline and 1-year follow-up telephone interviews, with complete data for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire 9). Regression models were used to determine associations between changes in depressive symptoms and changes in lifestyle-related indicators (physical activity, body mass index (BMI)) and, perception-related indicators (control of body weight and of amount of food eaten).
Results: After 1 year, 136 subjects (11.5%) developed depression (major or minor), 118 (10%) remained depressed, 829 (70%) remained not depressed and 100 (8.5%) reverted to not depressed. Subjects who developed depression, compared with those who remained not depressed, were more likely to be inactive at baseline, remain inactive at 1 year, report a worsening of their perception of controlling body weight, report maintaining a poor perception of controlling amount of food eaten and report maintaining a poor perception of controlling body weight (p<0.05). The same factors were associated with maintenance of depression at 1 year (p<0.05). Changes in BMI were not associated with changes in depressive symptoms.
Conclusions: Physical inactivity, perception of poor control of body weight and amount of food eaten have been found to be associated prospectively with the development and persistence of depression and, therefore, should be considered priority targets for diabetes treatment. Depression is related to the continuation of poor lifestyle and perception-related indicators.
Keywords: Perceptions du poids corporel; body weight perceptions; depressive symptoms; diabète de type 2; lifestyle; mode de vie; symptômes dépressifs; type 2 diabetes.
Copyright © 2013 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.