Abstract

HERAZO, Edwin  and  VILLAMIL-VARGAS, Miryam. Relationship among depressive symptoms, Body Mass Index and self-perception of weight in adolescents. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.3, pp.368-373. ISSN 0120-5552.

Objective: The aim of this study was to know the association among depressive symptoms, Body Mass Index (BMI) and self-perception of body weight in adolescent students at Bogotá, Colombia. Method: A cross-sectional study was designed. A voluntary participation was asked to adolescents of State schools. Depressive symptoms were quantified with a ten-item version of Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale; the BMI was calculated employing weight and height; and the self-perception of weight was evaluated using a question with three option answer (0=low body weight; 1=adequate; 2=high). Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs) was used to estimate the association. Values of rs higher than 0.30 were accepted as significant associations. Results: A group of 321 students participated in the research, with ages between 12 and 18 years old, age mean was 14.6 years old (SD=1.6), 64.2% were girls. Depressive symptom scores were between 10 and 36, mean=20.6 (SD=4.7). BMI were between 14.5 and 29.8, mean=20.5 (SD=3.0). Self-perception of weight scores were: 15% low, 71% adequate and 14% high. Correlation between depressive symptoms and self-perception of the body weight was rs=-0.019 (p=0.740); between depressive symptoms and BMI, rs=-0.098 (p=0.079); and between BMI and self-perception of weight was rs=0.446 (p<0.001). Conclusions: BMI is related to self-perception of body weight, but depressive symptoms do not affect self-perception of body weight. More investigations are needed in Colombian students.

Keywords : body weight; body image; body mass index; student; adolescents; cross-sectional studies.

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