Dataset Information

The relationship between body mass index and mental health among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

ABSTRACT: Obesity is a growing public health concern and is becoming an epidemic among veterans in the post-deployment period.To explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a large cohort of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and to evaluate trajectories of change in BMI over 3 years.Retrospective, longitudinal cohort analysis of veterans' health recordsA total of 496,722 veterans (59,790 female and 436,932 male veterans) whose height and weight were recorded at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system at least once after the end of their last deployment and whose first post-deployment outpatient encounter at the VA was at least 1 year prior to the end of the study period (December 31, 2011).BMI, mental health diagnoses.Seventy-five percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were either overweight or obese at baseline. Four trajectories were observed: "stable overweight" represented the largest class; followed by "stable obese;" "overweight/obese gaining;" and "obese losing." During the 3-year ascertainment period, those with PTSD and depression in particular were at the greatest risk of being either obese without weight loss or overweight or obese and continuing to gain weight. Adjustment for demographics and antipsychotic medication attenuated the relationship between BMI and certain mental health diagnoses. Although BMI trajectories were similar in men and women, some gender differences were observed. For example, the risk of being in the persistently obese class in men was highest for those with PTSD, whereas for women, the risk was highest among those with depression.The growing number of overweight or obese returning veterans is a concerning problem for clinicians who work with these patients. Successful intervention to reduce the prevalence of obesity will require integrated efforts from primary care and mental health to treat underlying mental health causes and assist with engagement in weight loss programs.

SUBMITTER: Maguen S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3695271 | biostudies-other | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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The relationship between body mass index and mental health among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Maguen Shira S Madden Erin E Cohen Beth B Bertenthal Daniel D Neylan Thomas T Talbot Lisa L Grunfeld Carl C Seal Karen K

Journal of general internal medicine 20130701

<h4>Background</h4>Obesity is a growing public health concern and is becoming an epidemic among veterans in the post-deployment period.<h4>Objective</h4>To explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a large cohort of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and to evaluate trajectories of change in BMI over 3 years.<h4>Design</h4>Retrospective, longitudinal cohort analysis of veterans' health records<h4>Participants</h4>A total of 496,722 veterans (5 ...[more]

PMID: 23807066

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Project description:BACKGROUND:While restrictive and compensatory eating disorders (e.g. anorexia and bulimia) are associated with elevated risk of suicide, less is known about binge eating disorder (BED). There is suggestive evidence of a U-shaped relationship between body mass index (BMI) and completed suicide, but fewer studies on suicidal ideation or attempts. This study examined the association between BED, BMI, and suicidality, and assessed whether these relationships varied by gender. METHODS:Data come from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiologic Surveys (N =?14,497). Binge episodes and BED were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Inventory (CIDI). BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Suicidal ideation/attempts were assessed using the CIDI. Weighted logistic regression was used to assess the association between binging/BED, BMI and suicidality. Interaction terms were used to assess whether the relationship between BMI and suicidality was moderated by binging/BED, and whether the relationships between binging/BED and BMI differed by gender. RESULTS:One-third of adults with BED had a history of suicidality, compared to 19% of those without. Both binging (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.50-2.53) and BED (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.41-2.86) were associated with suicidality in fully-adjusted models. BMI was associated with suicidality in a curvilinear manner, and this relationship was exacerbated by binging/BED (ORBinge eating x BMI: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09, p <?0.05). The relationship between BMI and suicidality did not differ by gender (ORgender x BMI: 1.00, p <?0.770). However, the relationship between binge eating and suicidality was stronger for women relative to men (ORgender X binge: 1.87, p <?0.012). CONCLUSIONS:Binge eating, even below the threshold for BED, is associated with suicidality. BMI is associated with suicidality in a curvilinear manner, and the BMI-suicidality relationship is potentiated by binge eating/BED. Findings support the thoughtful integration of psychiatric care into weight loss programs for adults with a history of binging behavior.

Project description:AimsThere are limited data examining whether body mass index (BMI) influences the association between cardiovascular biomarkers and incident heart failure (HF).Methods and resultsThirteen biomarkers representing key HF domains were measured: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), mid-regional pro-A-type natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, galectin-3, C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1), mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, copeptin, renin, aldosterone, and cystatin-C. Associations of biomarkers with BMI were examined using linear regression models, and with incident HF using Cox regression models. We selected biomarkers significantly associated with incident HF, and evaluated whether BMI modified these associations. Among 8202 individuals, 41% were overweight (BMI 25-30 kg/m2 ), and 16% were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 ). Mean age of the cohort was 49 years (range 28-75), and 50% were women. All biomarkers except renin were associated with BMI: inverse associations were observed with NT-proBNP, MR-proANP, CT-proET-1 and aldosterone whereas positive associations were observed with the remaining biomarkers (all P ≤ 0.001). During 11.3 ± 3.1 years of follow-up, 357 HF events were recorded. Only NT-proBNP, MR-proANP and cTnT remained associated with incident HF (P < 0.001), and a significant biomarker*BMI interaction was not observed (interaction P > 0.1). Combined NT-proBNP and cTnT measurements modestly improved performance metrics of the clinical HF model in overweight (ΔC-statistic = 0.024; likelihood ratio χ2 = 38; P < 0.001) and obese (ΔC-statistic = 0.020; likelihood ratio χ2 = 32; P < 0.001) individuals.ConclusionsPlasma concentrations of several cardiovascular biomarkers are influenced by obesity. Only NT-proBNP, MR-proANP and cTnT were associated with incident HF, and BMI did not modify these associations. A combination of NT-proBNP and cTnT improves HF risk prediction in overweight and obese individuals.

Project description:Military personnel are often exposed to multiple instances of various types of head trauma. As a result, there has been increasing concern recently over identifying when head trauma has resulted in a brain injury and what, if any, long-term consequences those brain injuries may have. Efforts to develop equipment to protect soldiers from these long-term consequences will first require understanding the types of head trauma that are likely responsible. In this study, we sought to identify the types of head trauma most likely to lead to the deposition of tau, a protein identified as a likely indicator of long-term negative consequences of brain injury. To define the types of head trauma in a military population, we applied a factor analysis to interviews from a larger cohort of 428 Veterans enrolled in the Translational Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury and Stress Disorders. Three factors were identified: Blast Exposure, Symptom Duration, and Blunt Concussion. Sixteen male Veterans from this study and one additional male civilian (aged 25-69, mean 35.2?years) underwent simultaneous positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging using a tracer that binds to tau protein, the ligand T807/AV-1451 (Flortaucipir). Standard uptake value ratios to the isthmus of the cingulate were calculated from a 20-minute time frame 70?min post-injection. We found that tracer uptake throughout the brain was associated with Blast Exposure factor beta weights, but not with either Symptom Duration or Blunt Concussion. Associations with uptake were located primarily in the cerebellar, occipital, inferior temporal and frontal regions. The data suggest that in this small, relatively young cohort of Veterans, elevated T807/AV-1451 uptake is associated with exposure to blast neurotrauma. These findings are unanticipated, as they do not match histopathological descriptions of tau pathology associated with head trauma. Continued work will be necessary to understand the nature of the regional T807/AV-1451 uptake and any associations with clinical symptoms.

Dataset Information

The relationship between body mass index and mental health among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Publications

The relationship between body mass index and mental health among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

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