Investigation of the Association of Body Mass Index with Mental Health and Self-Confidence in Girls: A Case-Control Study

Overweightness and obesity, as the underlying cause of physical and mental health, are prevalent in Iranian girls. The present study aimed at evaluating the association between anthropometric measurements with mental health and self-confidence in Iranian girls.
In this case-control study, 160 girls (47 obese or overweight as the case group and 113 normal weight as the control group) aged 13 to 18 years old were recruited. Adolescents’ anthropometric measurements, including height and weight were measured according to international standards, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Mental health status and self-confidence were measured using the validated General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Rosenberg Self-Confidence questionnaire, respectively.
Overall, 78% of cases and 21% of controls had mental disorders, which significantly differed from each other (P Overweightness was associated with mental health disorders in Iranian girls. However, it seems that obesity was not associated with reduced self-confidence of Iranian girls. Further longitudinal studies with larger number of participants are required to assess the mental effects of obesity in Iranian girls.