High cadmium levels in individuals with depressive mood: Results from the 2008–2013 korean national health and nutrition survey

Background: The relationship between cadmium (Cd) exposure and depression remains unclear. This nation-wide study aimed to compare the levels of blood Cd with the presence of depressive mood in Korean adults. Methods: From the 2008–2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 10,968 individuals over 20 yr old were identified. Data on demographics, health behaviors, depressive mood, and blood Cd (B-Cd) levels were used in the analysis. Estimated levels of B-Cd were drawn from multivariate regression models. Results: Higher age-adjusted B-Cd levels were noted among women, rural residents, people who have a low economic or educational status, smoke currently, drink frequently, or have depressive mood than the counterpart groups. In fully adjusted models, men with depressive mood exhibited significantly higher B-Cd levels than those without depressive mood, and these levels were strongly mediated by smoking status. Conclusion: Our results suggest a need for Cd accumulation screening among individuals with depressive mood.