Depression and Stress Related to Obesity among Normal, Obese, and Severe Obese Groups - Comparison among Normal, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Groups -
It was found that the ratio of depression and stress score was higher when the subject was female, among those whose subjective evaluation of their own finances and health condition was negative, and those who suffered from severe obesity.
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of obesity on depression and stress by analyzing the results of the national survey on health and nutrition. Relationships between normal, obese, and severely obese groups were investigated. The results of the study are as follows. First, obesity caused by demographic variables showed a relationship to both gender and average monthly income. In the case of the seriously obese group, females had higher rates of depression than males, and the high obesity group had lower average monthly income than the normal and obese groups. Second, obesity caused by health-related variables found that high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes that was not angina-related displayed higher rates of depression in the serious obesity group than in the other groups. As for subjective evaluations of one's own health condition, the serious obesity group showed a high tendency to evaluate their own health conditions negatively. Third, the difference between depression and stress related to obesity level showed no difference between the normal weight group and the obesity group; however, the seriously obese group demonstrated relatively higher occurrences of depression and higher stress scores. Fourth, the result for depression and stress level caused by demographic variables, health-related variables, and obesity demonstrated a direct relationship to gender, subjective level of satisfaction with one's personal finances, average monthly income, subjective perception of one's own health and severely obesity status. More specifically, it was found that the ratio of depression and stress score was higher when the subject was female, among those whose subjective evaluation of their own finances and health condition was negative, and those who suffered from severe obesity.