Body mass index and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses: A cross-sectional study

Depressive symptoms are common in the nursing profession. A normal body mass index (BMI) is an important indicator of individuals' health. However, few studies have examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and BMI in nurses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between them in Chinese nurses. A total of 1866 nurses from 12 tertiary hospitals participated in a survey conducted in Shandong, China. BMI was calculated by measuring participants' height and weight. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The relationship between BMI and depressive symptoms was analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. The depressive symptom prevalence in Chinese nurses was 47.8%. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with participants whose BMI was in the normal range, those who were underweight (odds ratio = 1.670, 95% confidence interval: 1.161-2.403) or obese (odds ratio = 1.540, 95% confidence interval: 1.003-2.365) were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and those who were overweight were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Our findings indicated a high depressive symptom prevalence in Chinese nurses. Nurses who were obese or underweight were more likely to have depressive symptoms than those with a normal BMI. Age, educational background, professional title, monthly income, and department were factors that influenced depressive symptoms. Hospital administrators should take effective measures to encourage nurses to maintain a normal BMI status or be overweight and focus on the role of influencing factors that are conducive to improving nurses' depressive symptoms.