MON-017 The Impact of Weight Change on Suicide Mortality: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study of 2 Million Koreans

Abstract S. Lee: None. K. Kim: None. J. Jung: None. M. Kim: None. Y. Um: None. Y. Ahn: None. S. Ko: None. K. Song: None. S. Lee: None. K. Han: None. J. Yun: None. Background: Previous studies have shown that weight change has a reverse J-shape association with all-cause mortality. However, its association with suicide mortality remains undetermined. Objectives: In this study, we investigated the association between weight change and suicide mortality using a large-scale, population-based cohort from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Methods: A total of 2,103,525 subjects aged ≥20 years who underwent a general health screening program twice in the 2-year interval between 2007 and 2009 were included. Subjects were categorized into five groups according to the percent weight change during this period: severe weight loss (<-15.0%), moderate weight loss (-15.0 to <-5.0%), weight stable (-5.0 to <5.0%), moderate weight gain (5.0 to <15.0%), and severe weight gain (≥15.0%). Results: During a median follow-up of 11.3 years, 6,179 cases (0.3%) of suicide mortality occurred. Weight change was associated with increased suicide mortality in a reverse J-shaped curve, even after adjustment for covariates. In particular, those with severe weight loss or gain showed 1.8-fold or 1.6-fold increased risk of suicide mortality, respectively. This reverse J-shaped association was consistently observed in subgroup analyses considering age, sex, depression, cancer, and BMI category. Conclusion: Moderate to severe weight change within a 2-year interval is associated with increased risk of suicide mortality. This suggests the necessity of assessment and screening of suicide ideation when severe weight change occurs within a 2-year interval. Further studies including additional variables related to severe weight change are desirable. Monday, June 3, 2024