The biopsychosocial assessment of people with low body mass index

Abstract

Objective: Low body mass index (thinness) is a stuation that may causes result of any disseases in healthy persons and it may have social and psychological effets. In this study investigates biopsychosocial aspects of thin people and factors causing thinness.

Methods: This study was conducted in Süleyman Demirel University Family medicine polyclinic between december-may 2014. 45 patients were enrolled, who have been determined as thin (BMI < 18) without any other systemic or psychiatric illnesses (patient group), and 36 (BMI= 18.5-24) subjects with similar sociodemographic characteristics (control group). 81 person were evaluated. Data of research was collected by using of Descriptive Data Form and Beck anxiety–Beck depression ınventory. Results of the study were analyzed with frequency analysis, pearsonchi-square in the SSPS 17.0 software.

Results: Eighty one person were included in the study (52 female, 29 male). The mean age of persons 22,7±3,7. In thin persons, alcohol use, family story, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, insomnia, anxiety was significantly higher incidence (p<0,05) but parental education level, sport habits, birth weight was significantly lower (p<0,05). Between two groups, marital status, educational status, maternal education level, income level, number of siblings, smoking, often getting sick, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, complaints to be seen, prepubertal age, breastfeeding duration, childhood significant disease transmission, delivery patterns and depression rate was no significant difference (p>0,05).

Conclusion: We found that family history is an effective in thinness and thin people are under risk for anxiety. Besides semptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia and nausea.