Scarpato BS, Swardfager W, Eid M, et al. - Body mass index (BMI) has been associated with psychological distress (PD). Researchers herein investigated the likely life-course disparities in BMI and PD stability, consistency, and their interplay across time.

• Via random intercepts cross-lagged panel models, the predictive effects (from BMI to PD or vice-versa) were determined across the last two centuries in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults [CARDIA, beginning in 1985-6] study utilizing the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale [CES-D], and in the National Child Development Study [NCDS, beginning in 1958] and British Cohort Study [BCS, beginning in 1970] utilizing the Malaise Inventory [MI]); assessment was conducted at least 4 times in adult life.

• Findings from the United States suggest a positive correlation of depressive symptoms and BMI at the trait level among females.

• In the United Kingdom, inconsistent relationships between PD and BMI were observed between generations, with effect sizes of unlikely clinical relevance, suggesting negligible dominance of an intraindividual effect of BMI on PD or vice versa.