The Age-Dependent Association Between Vascular Risk Factors and Depressed Mood
Objectives: Cumulative burden from multiple vascular risk factors has been linked to depressed mood but whether this association becomes stronger or weaker from mid- to later life is still unclear. This study investigated whether vascular risk factor burden is associated with levels and longitudinal changes in depressed mood and whether these associations are dependent on age. Method: Our sample included 6,835 individuals (52–89 years) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), who were free of vascular disease at baseline and underwent up to five bi-yearly follow-up assessments of depressed mood. A composite score incorporated the presence of five vascular risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. We used second-order latent growth models to test whether levels and changes of depressed mood differed as a function of baseline vascular risk factor burden, and how these associations were moderated by age. Results: Baseline vascular risk factor burden was associated with higher levels of depressed mood, and this association varied with age, such that it was stronger in midlife compared to later life. Vascular risk factor burden was not associated with changes in depressed mood. Discussion: Our findings suggest that vascular risk factor burden in midlife, but less so in later life, predicts individual differences in depressed mood. These findings are consistent with reports on the importance of midlife vascular risk and support the idea that prevention of vascular risk in this age period may be critical to maintain mental health.