title: The relation between anxiety and BMI - is it all in our curves?
abstract: The relation between anxiety and excessive weight is unclear. The aims of the present study were three-fold: First, we examined the association between anxiety and Body Mass Index (BMI). Second, we examined this association separately for female and male participants. Next, we examined both linear and non-linear associations between anxiety and BMI. The BMI was assessed of 92 patients (mean age: M=27.52; 57% females) suffering from anxiety disorders. Patients completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Both linear and non-linear correlations were computed for the sample as a whole and separately by gender. No gender differences were observed in anxiety scores or BMI. No linear correlation between anxiety scores and BMI was observed. In contrast, a non-linear correlation showed an inverted U-shaped association, with lower anxiety scores both for lower and very high BMI indices, and higher anxiety scores for medium to high BMI indices. Separate computations revealed no differences between males and females. The pattern of results suggests that the association between BMI and anxiety is complex and more accurately captured with non-linear correlations.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jahangard
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadpanah
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hafez
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bajoghli
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holsboer-Trachsler
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Sport, Exercise and Health Science, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: serge.brand@upkbs.ch.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Anxiety; Body Mass Index; Non-linear correlations; Psychiatric disorders