Individuals with a history of depression develop long-term physical health conditions at a significantly faster rate than those without, according to a cohort study analyzing data from the UK Biobank.

The study, published in PLOS Medicine, tracked over 172,000 participants aged 40–71 across 69 different long-term physical health conditions - a more comprehensive approach than previous research that typically included fewer conditions. Researchers found that those with depression accrued new chronic conditions 30% faster than their counterparts without depression over a mean follow-up of 6.9 years. At baseline, participants with depression already had more chronic conditions (mean 2.9 [SD 2.3] vs. 2.1 [SD 1.9]), and this disparity widened over time.

After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the rate ratio (RR) for new chronic conditions remained significant at 1.30 (95% CI [1.28, 1.32]). Further adjustments for baseline multimorbidity and lifestyle factors, such as smoking, obesity, and physical activity, slightly attenuated the risk (RR 1.10, 95% CI [1.09, 1.12]). The study found that participants with depression were more likely to have these unhealthy lifestyle factors at baseline, which partly explained the association. Common conditions developed during follow-up included osteoarthritis (15.7% vs. 12.5%), hypertension (12.9% vs. 12.0%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (13.8% vs. 9.6%).

The researchers noted that depression should be viewed as a "whole body" condition affecting multiple systems across the brain and body. They highlighted that existing healthcare systems struggle to treat people with both physical and mental health conditions, suggesting that integrated approaches to care are needed.

"Our findings highlight the importance of integrated approaches to managing both mental and physical health outcomes," said lead author Kelly J. Fleetwood from the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

The study also observed that people living in more deprived areas were more likely to have depression at baseline, suggesting a need for better integrated physical-mental healthcare in these communities, which the authors note "is not reflected in current resource allocation."

The researchers acknowledged potential selection bias, as UK Biobank participants tend to be healthier than the general population, which may limit generalizability of findings to the wider population.

The study was funded by the Medical Research Council/National Institute for Health Research. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.