J Korean Soc Biol Ther Psychiatry.  2023 Jun;29(2):43-51. 10.22802/jksbtp.2023.29.2.43.

Association Between Body Mass Index, Body Shape Perception and Depression in Korean Female Population: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Kim JY
• Jae YM
• Jang SH
• Lee KH
• Kim KB

• KMID: 2544130
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22802/jksbtp.2023.29.2.43

Abstract

Objectives
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and body shape perception and depression.
Methods
This study was based on data from 2016, 2018, and 2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 7,302 adult female aged 19 to 65. We performed chi-square test with the RaoScott correction and Logistic regression analyses to examine the association among BMI, body shape perception, and depression.
Results
All demographic variables such as age, household income, education, marital status, medical service satisfaction, body shape perception, medical conditions except drinking problem, smoking and physical activity were correlated with depression. The rate of depression decreased from underweight to normal weight and overweight, and increased from obesity to severe obesity (p<0.001). And people who perceived themselves thin or overweight had more depression than normal (p<0.001).
Conclusions
The results of this study suggest that appropriate body mass index and normal body shape perception have a positive effect on mental health.

Keyword

Female; Body mass index; Body image perception; Depression