Relationship between depression, stress and anxiety with anthropometric indices using Bio-Impedance Measure, among overweight/obese and normal subjects

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a simple, inexpensive, quick, and non-invasive technique for measuring body composition and its analysis is used as an alternative to examine muscle mass and body fat percentage Obesity and depression are two major public health problems among adolescents. Both obesity and depression are very prevalent and associated with numerous health complications, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and increased mortality. The present study was a cross-sectional study on 157 adult females and males from student and staff of Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University (SRBIAU) of Tehran that classified in two groups of normal weight and overweight or obese. The proportion of body tissues was determined according to the resistance created. The weight of the subjects was measured and recorded using BIA. Using the DASS-21 Questionnaire for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Based on the present findings, anthropometric indices such as weight, skeletal muscle mass, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, visceral fat level, whole-body water (L), body fat mass (kg), basal metabolic ratio (kcal), degree of obesity (%) ), fat percentage analysis (%), muscle weight analysis (kg), muscle percentage analysis were significantly different between the two groups (P <0.0001) and were higher in obese or overweight groups than the normal one. There were no significant differences in anxiety (p=0.496), stress (p=0.407), and mental health score (p=0.251) in both groups. Whereas, depression was significantly higher in the overweight or obese group (p=0.012). There was no meaningful relationship between BMI and stress (CC=0.04, P=0.612), anxiety (CC=0.052, P=0.519), whereas the positive correlation between BMI and depression (CC=0.932, P=0.035) was significant. There was a direct relationship between obesity and depression, anxiety, and stress. BMI correlates positively with mental health parameters.