Associations of self-reported happiness with body mass index and obesity risks among young adults in Taiwan

Abstract

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of self-reported happiness with body mass index and obesity risks among young adults aged in Taiwan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with secondary data sets from the Taiwan National Physical Activity Survey, a nationally representative survey of Taiwan's population. A total of 10,638 young adults aged 18-44 years were ultimately enrolled in this study from August to October 2020. Demographic characteristics, self-reported health status, self- evaluations (comprising height, body weight, and happiness), and zip code of residence were among the data obtained through the national telephone survey. Results: The results showed that after adjusting for potential confounders in the unhappy group, the obesity was significantly associated with happiness. (odds ratio [OR] = 0.637, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0494-0.820, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The present study revealed that body component and obesity risk are the factors affecting happiness among young adults in Taiwan. Moreover, obesity showed the negative correlation with happiness after adjusting for confounding factors.