Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Predicts Future Weight Change in the Millennium Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: To prospectively examine the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and weight change. Methods: Longitudinal analysis techniques were used to examine data (2001-2008) from Millennium Cohort Study participants, consisting of U.S. service members and veterans. Using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, PTSD was assessed as none, resolved, new onset, or persistent. Subsequent weight change was assessed as stable (_3% loss or gain), >3% weight loss, >3% but <10% weight gain, and _10% weight gain. Results: Of the 38,352 participants, 2391 (6.2%) had PTSD (838 resolved, 1024 new onset, and 529 persistent), and 11% of participants subsequently had _10% weight gain. In multivariable models, PTSD was associated with higher odds of _10% weight gain (new onset OR: 1.44 [95% CI: 1.20-1.73]; persistent OR: 1.51 [CI: 1.17-1.96]; resolved OR: 1.30 [CI: 1.05-1.60]) compared with those without PTSD. New-onset and persistent PTSD were also associated with higher odds of >3% weight loss (OR: 1.41 [CI: 1.17-1.71]; OR: 1.42 [CI: 1.09-1.86], respectively). Conclusions: PTSD is independently associated with a higher risk of weight gain and loss, the former of which leads to a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity and a higher risk of comorbidities associated with excessive body adiposity.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2015
Accession Number
ADA617721

Entities

People

  • Alyson J. Littman
  • Besa Smith
  • Cynthia A LeardMann
  • Edward J. Boyko
  • Isabel Gomez Jacobson
  • Kelly A. Woodall
  • Nancy F Crum-Cianflone
  • Timothy Steven Wells

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Body Weight
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Eating Disorders
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Separation
  • Nervous System
  • Overweight
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Readers

  • Exercise and Sports Science.
  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.