Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how weight might influence the relationship between depression and smoking.
Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey representative of women age 40-65 enrolled in Group Health Cooperative, a health plan serving members in Washington and northern Idaho (n=4640). We examined the relationships between depression and smoking in normal weight, overweight, and obese women using weighted multiple logistic regression with both minimal and full adjustment.
Results: Current depression was significantly associated with current smoking in obese women (adjusted odds ratio=2.48, 95% confidence interval=1.26-4.88) but not in underweight/normal or overweight women. Among ever smokers, obese women, but not other groups, were significantly less likely to have quit smoking in the past.
Conclusions: In our preliminary study, the association between smoking and depression in middle-aged women appears to be limited to the obese subset and may stem from a lesser likelihood of obese ever smokers to have quit. This population represents an important target for preventive medicine efforts.