How Depression Increases Your Risk of Long-Term Physical Health Issues: What You Need to Know

Research published in PLOS Medicine shows that adults with a history of depression tend to develop physical health conditions much faster than those without depression. In fact, they gain these conditions about 30% quicker. The study was led by Kelly Fleetwood from the University of Edinburgh, emphasizing the need to view depression as affecting the whole body, not just the mind.

Depression is the most common mental health issue, linked to serious physical problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Previous studies have often focused on a few specific illnesses. However, Fleetwood and her team wanted to explore how depression influences the overall rate of acquiring various health issues in both middle-aged and older adults.

The study tracked 172,556 participants aged 40 to 71 from the UK Biobank. They examined 69 different physical conditions over an average period of 6.9 years. Participants with depression started with an average of three physical health issues, compared to two for those without depression. Over the study period, people with a history of depression added an average of 0.2 new health conditions each year, while those without added 0.16. The most frequently reported new conditions included osteoarthritis, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

These findings suggest that a past diagnosis of depression can indicate a higher risk for long-lasting physical health issues later in life. The current healthcare systems tend to treat single conditions rather than addressing the overall health needs of individuals who may have multiple health challenges. Fleetwood and her colleagues argue that a more integrated approach to healthcare is essential for better outcomes for those with both mental and physical health concerns.

In their words, “We need healthcare services to take an integrated approach to caring for people who have both depression and long-term physical health conditions.” This calls for a shift in how we view and treat these interconnected health issues.

Source: Fleetwood, K. J., et al. (2025) Depression and physical multimorbidity: A cohort study of physical health condition accrual in UK Biobank. PLOS Medicine. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004532.