ANXIETY LEVEL IN OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Objective: To determine the level of anxiety in overweight or obese adolescents. Material and Method: Quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted from April to August 2023, in an educational unit of the canton of Ambato, Province of Tungurahua, Ecuador. From a population of 109 students, the final sample consisted of 71 adolescents with overweight or obesity belonging to the eighth, ninth and tenth grades of General Basic Education (GBS). To measure anxiety, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaire was used, which has been validated with high reliability (Cronbach's alpha: 0.82); for nutritional status, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) were measured, along with the demographic variables sex and age. Results: 54% male, 38% in the ninth year of GBS and a moderate level of anxiety. Conclusions: More than half of the adolescents are overweight and obese, with a predominance of males, especially in the ninth year of GBS, and there is a moderate level of anxiety in most of the sample studied, with a higher frequency in females. It is important for nursing staff educate the population, especially adolescents, about the health benefits of a healthy lifestyle.