Table 2 Association between BMI and mental health among study participants (n = 2,811)

BMI level

Level 1 (15.87–21.07)

Level 2 (21.08–22.83)

Level 3 (22.84–24.99)

Level 4 (25.00–40.09)

Depression

 No. of participants

702

708

723

678

 No. of depression

39

48

63

69

  Crude

Reference

1.24 (0.80, 1.91)^b

1.62 (1.07, 2.45)

1.93 (1.28, 2.90)

0.002

  Adjusted model 1 ^c

Reference

1.24 (0.80, 1.91)

1.62 (1.07, 2.45)

1.93 (1.28, 2.90)

0.002

  Adjusted model 2 ^d

Reference

0.91 (0.53, 1.56)

2.28 (0.98, 3.77)

2.32 (1.41, 3.83)

0.001

  Adjusted model 3 ^e

Reference

0.92 (0.53, 1.95)

2.63 (0.95, 4.47)

2.96 (1.72, 5.06)

< 0.001

Anxiety

 No. of participants

702

708

723

678

 No. of anxiety

24

48

66

51

  Crude

Reference

2.06 (1.24, 3.39)^b

2.84 (1.76, 4.58)

2.30 (1.40, 3.38)

0.005

  Adjusted model 1 ^c

Reference

1.96 (1.18, 3.24)

2.67 (1.65, 4.32)

2.05 (1.24, 3.39)

0.021

  Adjusted model 2 ^d

Reference

2.39 (0.83, 4.36)

4.46 (0.51, 7.93)

2.81 (1.56, 5.08)

0.009

  Adjusted model 3 ^e

Reference

2.30 (0.86, 4.20)

4.28 (0.91, 7.59)

2.60 (1.43, 4.71)

0.004