Association Between Excess Body Weight and Mental Health Disorders Among Reproductive-Aged Women in Bangladesh

Research on the association between excess body weight (EBW) and mental health among Bangladeshi women is limited. The present study investigated the relationship between EBW and symptoms of anxiety and depression among reproductive-aged women in Bangladesh.

This study used data from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), which included 19 407 ever-married women aged 18 to 49 years. A body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg per square meter or higher indicates EBW. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9). Weighted bivariate analyses and multivariable survey-adjusted ordered logistic regression models estimated associations between EBW and mental health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic, reproductive, and economic variables.

A total of 18.7% of participants were classified as overweight or obese. Mild anxiety was reported by 22.6%, and mild depression by 24.2%. In unadjusted analyses, EBW showed a significant association with anxiety. However, after adjusting for covariates, this association was no longer significant. Instead, age, marital disruption, lower educational attainment, and lower household wealth emerged as important predictors of both anxiety and depression. No significant independent association was observed between EBW and the severity of anxiety or depression.

The results indicate that psychological distress is more likely to result from socioeconomic and marital disruptions than from EBW alone. Policy initiatives should prioritize mental health screening and psychosocial support, especially for women facing marital instability or economic hardship.

Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.