Association between weight, weight perception, weight teasing and mental health among adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Background Adolescent mental health problems are becoming increasingly prevalent, and there are correlations between weight-related concerns and adolescent mental health. The aim of this study is to explore the association between three weight-related factors (actual weight, weight perception, and weight teasing) and mental health problems (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and loneliness) in Chinese adolescents. Methods 10,070 adolescents between the ages of 11–18 from schools in Shanghai, China were selected using a stratified random cluster sampling method. Self-reported questionnaires were collected to investigate weight-related factors and mental health problems. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship. Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms, loneliness, mild anxiety symptoms, and moderate to severe anxiety symptoms among adolescents were 18.0%, 53.8%, 26.5%, and 12.3%, respectively, with a higher prevalence found in females. After adjusting for weight perception and weight teasing, actual weight had no harmful impact on adolescents’ mental health. Adolescents' perception of being overweight increased the risk of depressive symptoms, loneliness, mild anxiety symptoms, and moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, while the perception of being underweight had a similar but more profound impact (depressive symptoms OR = 1.590, 95% CI: 1.342–1.883; loneliness OR = 1.537, 95% CI: 1.353–1.746; mild anxiety symptoms OR = 1.368, 95% CI: 1.178–1.589; moderate to severe anxiety symptoms OR = 1.780, 95% CI: 1.449–2.186). Experiencing weight teasing more than once a year had a greater effect on adolescents' mental health, especially among adolescents with overweight/obesity (depressive symptoms OR = 2.970, 95% CI: 2.325–3.793; loneliness OR = 3.839, 95% CI: 3.119–4.727; mild anxiety symptoms OR = 2.822, 95% CI: 2.236–3.562; moderate to severe anxiety symptoms OR = 5.212, 95% CI: 3.846–7.065). Conclusions The prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents was high, especially loneliness. Weight perception and weight teasing, but not the actual weight, independently influenced adolescent mental health.