(P13-026-24) Modifiable Lifestyle Behaviors and Depressive Symptoms in Emerging Hispanic Adults

Objectives: Emerging adulthood is characterized by increased autonomy and stress from employment and/or further education. Lifestyle behaviors developed at this age may compound the risk of mental health disorders and multimorbidity later in life. The purpose of this study was to assess how diet, physical activity, sleep, and other determinants of health were associated with depressive symptoms in Hispanic young adults, 18-25 years old.

Methods: After informed consent, a cross-sectional survey gathered demographics and information on depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Survey (CES-D), on physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and on sleep behaviors using the Pittsburgh Quality Sleep Index (PSQI). Diet quality was assessed with 3 24-hour recalls to calculate a Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-15) score and body composition was measured with an InBody 520 machine. Descriptive statistics, Chi Square, T-test and Spearman correlation were performed. Linear regression was also used adjusting for sex, race, education level, stress, psychology major and BMI.

Results: The majority of participants were female (n=106, 77.4%), White (n=106, 77.4%), and had a body fat % greater than 25 (n=88, 64.2%). Out of 137 participants, 59.1% scored greater than 16 on the CES-D, indicative of clinically significant depressive symptomology. CES-D score was positively correlated with PSQI score (r=0.418, p< 0.001), stress (r=0.432, p< 0.001), and body fat (r=0.281, p< 0.001) and negatively correlated with HEI-15 score (r=-0.157, p=0.066), IPAQ score (r=-0.106, p=0.219) and lean body mass (r=-0.170, 0.047). PSQI score (β =0.344, SE= 0.233, p< 0.001) significantly predicted CES-D scores and IPAQ score as a binary variable with a cutoff of 600 METmin/week demonstrated a notable trend (β =-0.142, SE=2.542, p=0.055).

Conclusions: Depression increases the risk of suffering from multimorbidity in later adulthood. Our results warrant further investigation into the lifestyle behaviors developed by emerging Hispanics during this age period. The acculturation process is known to affect modifiable behaviors such as diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress which may be considered as potential targets for multimorbidity prevention efforts.

Funding Sources: N/A