Associations between overweight and mental health problems among adolescents, and the mediating role of victimization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence has not been conclusive on whether adolescent overweight is associated with mental health, possibly caused by indirect, yet untested associations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between overweight or obesity and mental health problems among adolescents, and to determine whether victimization plays a mediating role in these associations.

Methods

Self-reported data on mental health and victimization and objectively measured Body Mass Index data were used, using three cohorts (2010-2011 until 2012-2013) and an interval between the measurement waves of two years later. We performed a multi-level mediation analysis with a two-level structure to incorporate the clustering of the measurements within individuals. The study pop

SUBMITTER: van Vuuren CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6528281 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature