Body Mass Index and Psychological Symptoms Among Females Attending a Rural Family Health Unit, Benha, Qalyubia Governorate,Egypt

Youssef, Marwa; M. Elkot, Mohamed; A. Khalil, Nora; Z. Abdel Rahman, Afaf

doi:10.21608/efmj.2019.70444

Body Mass Index and Psychological Symptoms Among Females Attending a Rural Family Health Unit, Benha, Qalyubia Governorate,Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Resident of Family Medicine, Benha Health administration, Egypt

² Family Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

³ Neuropsychiatry Department, Faculty of medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

10.21608/efmj.2019.70444

Abstract

Background: Attention to mental health issues is growing globally and association between body mass index (BMI) and psychological distress is an area of interest for many researchers. The psychological distress among persons had many contributors. Women are slightly more at risk for having un healthy BMI than men, they are much more vulnerable to psychological disorders. Objectives: The study aimed to assess BMI of the studied participants and to study relationship between BMI, stress level and psychological symptoms among the studied group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 312 females' clients in childbearing period attending (Batta) family health unite (FHU) in (Benha) district, Qalyubia governorate. Data were collected from studied group using questionnaires to assess socio demographic criteria, stress level, psychosocial stressors, and psychological symptoms. Weight and height were estimated to calculate BMI. Results: About thirty percent of the studied females were obese, 45%, 3% were overweight and under weight and normal BMI represented by (22%). Mean age of the studied groups was 29.89 ± 9.08, BMI mean was significantly higher among participants aged from (37-49) years (32.15±7.18), housewives (30.16±6.1), illiterate/primary (31.42±7.11), Widows (30.98% ±7.13) . BMI was significantly higher among participant with sever stress level (31.34+7.02) PConclusion: psychological symptom recorded the highest frequent percent in obese group. We suggest that future obesity research focusing on psychological distress.

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