Does Weight Relate to Mental Health Status in Females Ages 35-54?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between mental health and weight status for women during the transitional years from young adulthood to middle age. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data from the 2013 BRFSS for women ages 35-45 from the states of Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, and West Virginia. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine whether weight status was related to mental health after controlling for psychosocial and demographic variables. Results: Participants reported relatively high numbers of days of good mental health in the past 30 days and relatively moderate levels of BMI. Mental health was not significantly related to weight status after controlling for psychosocial and demographic variables; however mental health was inversely related to the number of chronic health problems and positively related to working for wages and higher incomes. Conclusions: Mental health and weight status were not significantly related after controlling for demographic and psychosocial variables in the target population. These results imply weight status may not be as important as other factors for women 35-45 and, thus, healthcare providers should not disregard weight, but place more emphasis on treating comorbidities with mental health.