ArticleBMC public health2025
The mediating roles of obesity indicators and serum albumin in the association of DEET exposure with depression and sleep disorders in adults: evidence from NHANES 2007-2016.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- The mediating role of obesity in the relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms: A population-based cross-sectional study.Metabolism open · 2026Article
- Associations of Dietary Decanoic Acid Intake With Cognitive Function in the Elderly and the Mediating Effects of Hypertension and Diabetes: An Analysis From NHANES 2011-2014.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Association of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and glucose (CHG) index with mortality risk in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) adults: results from two prospective cohorts.Cardiovascular diabetology · 2026Article
- Serum uric acid mediates the association between the estimated glucose disposal rate and chronic kidney disease in patients with diabetes or prediabetes: an analysis from NHANES 2005-2018.BMC endocrine disorders · 2025Article
- Mitochondrial dysfunction, a new marker warning of neuropsychiatric disorder risk: evidence from genetics and epidemiology.Annals of general psychiatry · 2025Article
- Decoding the potential association of liver steatosis with female infertility: an analysis from NHANES 2013-2018.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Relationship between nocturia, depression, and cognitive function and the mediating effects of nutritional indexes in older adults: data from NHANES 2011-2014.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is a widely used insect repellent with potential neurotoxic effects. However, its impact on mental health in the general population remains unclear. This study investigates the association between DEET exposure and depression and sleep disorders, exploring the mediating roles of obesity indicators and serum albumin.
methodsData from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2016 were analyzed. Urinary levels of 3-(diethylaminoformyl) benzoic acid (DCBA), a DEET metabolite, were used as an exposure marker. Depression was defined according to the scores of Patient Health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and sleep disorders were diagnosed according to participants' self-reports. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were employed to assess the associations of DCBA with depression and sleep disorders. Mediating analyses explored the roles of obesity indicators and serum albumin. Subgroup analysis further explored the differences among different populations.
resultsHigher DCBA levels were positively associated with depression and sleep disorders. Mediating analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and serum albumin mediated 11.16%, 12.66%, and 7.04% of the association between DEET exposure and depression, respectively. Subgroup analysis identified increased susceptibility among women and individuals of other races. Sensitivity analysis enhanced the robustness of the results.
conclusionDEET exposure is associated with an increased risk of depression and sleep disorders, mediated by obesity and liver function indicators. These findings highlight the need for public health measures to reduce DEET exposure and further research into its mechanisms of action on mental health.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.