The Effect of Body Weight on Mental Health in Adult Women

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore the effects of body weight on mental health in women over 20 years and living in Ankara. Subjects and methods: Research sample was consisted of 100 women over 20 years, who accepted to participate in the research. Data were collected through Descriptive Information Form and Beck Depression Scale (BDS) using face to face interviews. Chi-squared test was used to analyze the data. Results: The average age of the women was 40.73 ±16.46 years. Fifty nine percent of them were married, 28% were single and 13% were widowed/divorced. Sixty five percent of them had normal body weight while 26% was overweight and 9% was obese. The average body mass index was 23.76±4.32 kg/m2. Depression indications were found in levels of minimal in 71%, mild in 23% and medium in 6% of subjects. For the ones who had normal body weight 75.4% of them had minimal, 21.5% mild and 3.1% medium level and for the ones who were overweight had 65.4% minimal, 26.9% mild and 7.7% medium level and for the obese 55.6% minimal, 22.2% mild and 22.2% medium level depression indications were observed (p=0.212). Out of total 29% of the attendants used medicines because of stress and sadness and for the ones who used medicines, the depression indications were observed in 48.3% of subjects in minimal, 37.9% mild and 13.8% medium levels. About 58 percent of the women who used medicine subjected to stress and sadness had normal body weight, 24.1% were overweight and 17.2% were obese but this frequency sequences for the ones who did not use medicine were 67.7%, 26.8% and 5.6%, respectively. The middle level depression indication percentage for the women who did not exercise regularly was (10.4%) which was more than the ones who did exercise regularly (1.9%) and this relation was found significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Overweight and obesity were significant factors which could affect the mental health as well as physical health. Frequency of depression indication was found more frequently in overweight and obese women. It is important to spread the efforts on protecting the body weights of women at community level.