Association between living arrangement and psychological well-being among patients with major depressive disorder: the moderating role of body mass index.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent globally, significantly impacting psychological well-being (PWB). Herein, we aim to evaluate the impact of different living arrangements on PWB in individuals with MDD and explore the potential moderating role of BMI in this relationship.

Methods: Participants with MDD were recruited from a specialist mental health hospital between December 2019 and April 2023. The diagnosis of MDD was assessed by trained psychiatrists using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Psychological well-being was evaluated using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between different living arrangements and PWB at the 12-month follow-up. The Participants were categorized into underweight, normal weight, and overweight groups based on BMI, followed by conducting stratified analysis.

Results: After adjusting for covariates, living with family (AOR = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.14-2.87, P = 0.026) was associated with a higher PWB. There was significant moderating effect of BMI on the association of living arrangements with PWB (P = 0.049). The stratification analyses revealed significant associations between living arrangements and PWB in the normal weight group, while no significant associations were found in the underweight and overweight groups.

Conclusions: Living with family was significantly associated with higher levels of PWB in individuals with MDD, especially among those with a normal BMI. These findings highlight the synergistic effect of living with family and maintaining a healthy BMI on improving PWB in depressed individuals.