Abstract
Background
Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) during adolescence is crucial for optimal physical and mental well-being. This investigation sought to examine the relationships between extreme BMI values and self-reported experiences of pain, somatic diseases, and psychiatric disorders in adolescents.
Methods
A cohort of 5132 adolescents (average age of 16.69 ± 1.02 years; 62.1% girls/) was gathered from five countries using an online survey. The data collection took place as part of the Mental and Somatic Health without borders project, from September 2020 to February 2021. The participants were categorized into four groups based on their BMIs. Through the application of nonparametric tests, this study explored variations in gender and the prevalence of somatic diseases/complaints, diagnosed psychiatric disorders, and perceived pain across distinct BMI groups.
Results
BMIs in the underweight and overweight categories were more common in male participants than in female participants (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001, respectively, with weak effect sizes). Underweight individuals demonstrated elevated rates of cancer and epilepsy (p ≤ 0.01), while overweight individuals exhibited higher rates of depression, asthma, diarrhea, and thyroid diseases (p ≤ 0.01). Obesity was linked to significantly increased frequencies of attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma, and constipation (p ≤ 0.02). The strengths of these associations ranged from weak to moderate. Adolescents with obesity reported significantly higher levels of pain intensity (p < 0.001), albeit with a small effect size.
Conclusion
BMIs in the overweight and obese categories are connected to asthma and digestive issues, while those in the underweight category are associated with cancers and epilepsy. Adolescents with obesity are more susceptible to pain (both intensity and frequency), and those with extreme BMIs experience ADHD, anxiety, and depression at a higher rate than those with BMIs in the normal range. These findings underscore the crucial need to deepen our understanding of the intricate relationships between BMI and health outcomes in adolescents. This knowledge will inform targeted interventions and strategies aimed at enhancing both physical and mental well-being in this vulnerable population.