Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Obesity among Male Adolescents at Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

The objective was to study depression, anxiety, stress, and obesity among male adolescents in Abha City, southwestern Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 398 male students. Standard methods for measuring body weight and height were applied. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. The Arabic version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to detect common mental disorders. Results of the study showed that only 69 (17.3%) adolescents had normal body weight, 176 (44.2%) had overweight, and 153 (38.4%) were obese. The present study showed that obese male adolescents had more stress, anxiety, and depression (44.4%, 73.2%, and 65.7%, respectively) than normal weights. The study showed that obesity was a significant risk factor for anxiety (aOR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.01-3.27) and depression (aOR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.06-3.40). In conclusion, there is an urgent need for depression and anxiety screening and treatment programs among adolescents to prevent adolescent obesity. It should be hand in hand with nutritional and exercise-based interventions as an essential tool in preventing teenage obesity.