Objectives: This study
evaluated the association between weight loss and change in depression among
patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Weight change from 2008
to 2009 among respondents (with and without T2DM) in the Study to Help Improve
Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes (SHIELD)
was calculated. Change in depression was calculated as change from 2008 to 2009
in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores. Respondents with weight loss
(>1%, >3%, >5%) were compared with respondents with weight gain (≥1%).
Multivariate regression adjusted for baseline characteristics. Results: Among
those with T2DM, more respondents with weight loss (n = 779) improved their
depression scores, compared with respondents with weight gain (n = 731): 32.9%,
36.9%, 39.8% for >1%, >3%, and >5% weight loss, respectively, vs.
28.7% for weight gain (p<0.05). More respondents with weight loss improved
the severity level of depression compared with respondents with weight gain (p
< 0.05). After adjustment, T2DM respondents with weight loss had
significantly greater improvement in depression scores (p < 0.05) and had 2
- 3 times higher odds of improving depression severity than T2DM respondents
with weight gain (OR: 2.22 for >1%, 2.96 for >3%, and 3.31 for >5%
weight loss, p < 0.01). Similar improvement in depression scores and
severity of depression related to weight loss was observed among all SHIELD
respondents (with and without T2DM). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate an
association between weight loss and improvement in depression over a 1-year
period in adults with T2DM, and suggest the need for further investigation with
respect to causality.