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Body dissatisfaction predicts the onset of depression among adolescent females and males: A prospective study

Bornioli, Anna; Lewis-Smith, Helena; Slater, Amy; Bray, Isabelle

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Authors

Amy Slater Amy.Slater@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Centre for Appearance Research

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Issy Bray Issy.Bray@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Public Health (Epidemiology)



Abstract

Rationale: Body dissatisfaction is prevalent in mid-adolescence and may be associated with the onset of depression. Objective: The study assessed the influence of body dissatisfaction on the occurrence of later depressive episodes in a population-based sample of British adolescents. Method: Participants were 2078 females and 1675 males from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort. Logistic regression was used to test if body dissatisfaction at 14 years old predicted the onset of depressive episodes at 18 years old, controlling for baseline depression. Results: Among females, body dissatisfaction predicted mild (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.31, 2.04), moderate (OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.28, 2.18) and severe depressive episodes (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.09, 3.12). Among males, body dissatisfaction predicted mild (OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.00, 2.25) and severe depressive episodes (OR=2.85, 95% CI=1.18, 6.87) at 18 years of age. Conclusions: This is the first prospective study to demonstrate that body dissatisfaction in adolescence predicts the occurrence of later depressive episodes in a cohort born in the early 1990s. The findings highlight that body dissatisfaction is a public health concern.

Citation

Bornioli, A., Lewis-Smith, H., Slater, A., & Bray, I. (2021). Body dissatisfaction predicts the onset of depression among adolescent females and males: A prospective study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 75(4), 343-348. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2019-213033

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 19, 2020
Online Publication Date Dec 7, 2020
Publication Date Apr 1, 2021
Deposit Date Nov 2, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Print ISSN 0143-005X
Electronic ISSN 1470-2738
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 75
Issue 4
Pages 343-348
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2019-213033
Keywords Body dissatisfaction; depression; ALSPAC; adolescence
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6826303

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