PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND ANXIETY IN PEOPLE WITH NORMAL AND EXCESSIVE BODY MASS INDEX

Abstract

The article examines the state of psychological well-being and manifestations of anxiety in respondents with normal and elevated BMI. Psychological well-being was assessed using the K. Riff scale (PWB), and the level of personal anxiety was assessed using the J. Taylor anxiety manifestation scale (TMAS). Respondents with excessive BMI showed a tendency toward worse psychological well-being scores on the overall questionnaire index (61,3 ± 8,6 vs. 65,4 ± 5,9 points) and its scales, but no significant difference was observed between individuals with normal and elevated BMI levels. None of the groups had participants with very high or low levels of anxiety. In the groups of individuals with normal and elevated BMI, the subgroup with moderate (tending towards high) anxiety levels prevailed, which included 42,9% of respondents in group 1 and 42,1% in group 2, as well as the subgroup with high anxiety levels (38,1 and 36,8% of individuals). The subgroup with moderate (tending towards low) anxiety levels comprised 19,0 and 21,1% of participants, respectively. Overall, no significant difference in dispersion was found between anxiety levels (χ2 = 0,04, p = 0,98). In the group with normal BMI, a moderate negative correlation was found between BMI and the PWB scales “Positive relationships with those around you” (r = −0,3829, p < 0,01), “Autonomy” (r = −0,6455, p < 0,01), “Life Goals” (r = −0,5047, p < 0,01), “Self-Acceptance” (r = −0,5722, p < 0,01) and the overall K. Riff questionnaire index (r = −0,5079, p < 0,01). This group also showed a moderate positive association between BMI and anxiety level (r = 0,5485, p < 0,01). In individuals with increased body weight, there was no moderate or strong correlation between BMI and the indices of the psychological well-being and anxiety scales.