The Relationship between Reduced Meals for Controlling Weight and Suicidal Ideations in Korean Women Aged 20–40 Years: The 2010–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Attempting unhealthy weight control can be related to psychological problems such as suicidal ideations, depression, and eating disorders. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between reduced meals for controlling weight and suicidal ideations in Korean women aged 20–40 years.METHODS: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a cohort survey investigating the health behavior, chronic disease prevalence, and food and nutrition intake status of the Korean population. Ours is a cross-sectional study of 1,761 Korean women aged 20–40 years who were especially interested in weight control and who participated in the 2010–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination. We measured the percentages of smoking, drinking, educational standards, personal income, stress perception, depression, suicidal ideations, and obesity among the subjects. The participants' age and body mass index were measured as weighted means and standard errors. The relationship between reduced meals for controlling weight and suicidal ideations in Korean women aged 20–40 years was examined by logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: Of the 1,761 participants who took the survey, 642 participants experienced suicidal ideations. After making all adjustments, the odds ratio of suicidal ideations with reduced meals was 1.237 (0.588–2.602).CONCLUSION: The finding of this study revealed that there was no relationship between reduced meals for controlling weight and suicidal ideations.