Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to examine (1) the relationship between BMI and depressive symptoms among older adults, (2) the association between depressive symptoms and life satisfaction (LS), (3) mediating effect of depression in the associations between BMI and LS, (4) age difference in these relationships between elders 85 or younger and those 85 and older. Methods: Sample consists of 5,685 individuals aged 60 and older who participated in the 6th Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). Data were analyzed through the Structural Equational Modeling (SEM) and multi-group SEM. Results: (1) Compared to the normal weight elders, overweight and obese elders showed lower levels of depressive symptoms. (2) The levels of depressive symptoms were positively associated with higher levels of LS. (3) Compared to the normal weight elders, overweight and obese elders showed significantly positive indirect effects on LS via its effects on depressive symptoms. (4) Some of these relationships varied by age groups. Conclusions: Underweight and extreme obesity are considered as risk factors for LS among older adults while obesity plays a protective role in LS. BMI differences should be considered in developing interventions and policy for quality of life of the elderly.
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