Is obesity associated with depression in low- and middle-income countries? Longitudinal evidence from Indonesia

Contrary to high-income countries, we found no evidence of an association between depressive symptoms and overweight among adolescents in Indonesia, while depressive symptoms are associated with reduced risk of overweight among adults. Findings may be due to lower overweight stigma in Indonesia's socio-cultural environment, potential depressive symptom underestimation, and a moderating role of socioeconomic status. Given the rising overweight burden in Indonesia, our results highlight the need to prioritise policies addressing structural causes rather than individual factors, in order to avoid promoting overweight stigma and safeguard mental health.