Influence of gender on the association of body mass index with anxiety score in medical students

Abstract

Background and Aim: Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders in developed countries, especially in adolescent and young adult population. High body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for depression or anxiety disorders. However, there are no clear evidences supporting their association. Therefore in the present study, we intended to determine the relationship between obesity and anxiety level among medical students. Methods: A cross‑sectional study was conducted on 300 (117 male and 183 female) medical students after initial screening and BMI determination. The students were assessed using Zung self‑rating anxiety scale and to determine the association between BMI and anxiety score. Odds ratio for the distribution of anxiety score among study population was assessed using Fisher exact probability test. Results: Of the 300 students, 288 has normal anxiety score, and only 12 had mild to moderate anxiety score. None of the students had moderate to severe or extreme severe anxiety score. Out of 117 male students, 3 (2.6%) had mild anxiety score and out of 183 female students, 9 (4.9) had mild anxiety score. Odds ratio analysis between gender and anxiety demonstrated odds ratio of 0.51 at 95% confidence interval of 0.1348-1.9195. Conclusion: The association of anxiety score with BMI was found to be significantly high in males, whereas there was no statistically significant association between anxiety score and BMI in females. Thus, results of the present study suggest that males are more prone to anxiety compared to females, especially in subjects with high BMI.