The association of vitamin D deficiency, age and depression in US adults: a cross-sectional analysis

Hongfei Mo; Jipeng Zhang; Chiwei Huo; Mengying Zhang; Jiang Xiao; Junge Peng; Guirong Wang; Changhong Wang; Yan Li

doi:10.1186/s12888-023-04685-0

The association of vitamin D deficiency, age and depression in US adults: a cross-sectional analysis

BMC Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 24;23(1):534. doi: 10.1186/s12888-023-04685-0.

Authors

Hongfei Mo^#^{1

2}, Jipeng Zhang^#², Chiwei Huo², Mengying Zhang², Jiang Xiao², Junge Peng², Guirong Wang³, Changhong Wang⁴, Yan Li^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Synergetic Innovation Center of Kinesis and Health, School of Physical Education (Main Campus), Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.
² Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China.
³ Departments of Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology, SNUY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
⁴ The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, P.R. China.
⁵ Synergetic Innovation Center of Kinesis and Health, School of Physical Education (Main Campus), Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China. liyanzt@zzu.edu.cn.
⁶ Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China. liyanzt@zzu.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Depression is an important public health burden, its risk of occurrence is associated with vitamin D deficiency and may also increase with age, while serum vitamin D levels are closely related to age.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether vitamin D and age are associated with depression after adjustment for each other.

Materials and methods: We extracted data from NHANES 2013-2018, including demographic characteristics, depression level, vitamin D level, physical activity, and body measures. A total of 15,156 adults aged 20 years or older (mean age 49.81 ± 17.67 years, 7301 males and 7855 females) were included. Depression was screened by PHQ-9. Vitamin D deficiency was defined by a serum vitamin D level < 30nmol/L. We performed binary logistic regression models to analyze the association between vitamin D, age and depression, respectively.

Results: Vitamin D levels were negatively associated with depression (P < 0.001). Vitamin D had a significant effect on depression (OR = 0.776, 95%CI: 0.682-0.884, P < 0.001), the effect remained significant after adjusted for confounding variables (OR = 0.761, 95%CI: 0.663-0.874, P < 0.001). Age was positively associated with depression (P < 0.001) and had a significant effect on depression (OR = 1.079, 98%CI: 1.032-1.128, P = 0.001), the effect remained significant after adjusted for confounding variables (OR = 1.092, 95%CI: 1.040-1.146, P < 0.001). Age and vitamin D levels were positively correlated (P < 0.001), and older age had a significant effect on vitamin D level (OR = 1.526, 95%CI: 1.416-1.645, P < 0.001), the effect remained significant after adjusted for confounding variables (OR = 1.371, 95%CI: 1.263-1.487, P < 0.001). In addition, the prevalence of depression was higher in females (2312/7855, 29.43%) than in males (1571/7301, 21.52%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency and older age are both associated with higher risk of depression, while older age is a protective factor for vitamin D deficiency.

Keywords: Age; Depression; NHANES; Vitamin D Deficiency.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression* / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nutrition Surveys
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency* / complications
Vitamin D Deficiency* / epidemiology
Vitamins

Substances

Vitamin D
Vitamins