Anxiety and Depressive Disorder in Adolescents and its Association with Nutritional Status

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the association of nutritional status with anxiety and depression disorder in adolescents at the primary care level. Methods: analytical cross-sectional study, carried out from March 2022 to February 2023. By estimating a proportion in finite populations, the sample was obtained, considering the prevalence of anxiety and
depression in adolescents. A total of 114 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, with no history of eating or psychiatric disorders, participated. Weight and height were measured, and nutritional status was
classified according to the criteria proposed by the World Health Organization (who); the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory validated for adolescents were used. Descriptive
analysis was performed using measures of central tendency and dispersion, as well as inferential analysis. Results: 43% were men, and 57% were women, the mean age was 14.45±2.88 years, the predominant schooling was high school and junior high school. Adolescents with mild and moderate depression had a higher prevalence of overweight
and obesity, compared to patients with minimal depression (p<0.001). The joint prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher in patients with moderate anxiety compared to patients with minimal
anxiety (p<0.001). Conclusion: an association between nutritional status, and the degree of anxiety and depression was identified in the treated adolescents.