Body mass index and its relationship to mental disorders in the Mexican Adolescent Mental Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Mexico City adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS Household survey of 3005 adolescents aged 12 to 17 residing in Mexico City in 2005 (response rate = 71%). Face to face interviews were carried out in the homes of participants with informed consent from a parent and/or legal guardian and the assent of the adolescent was obtained. Logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS We only found an association between extremely low BMI and impulse control disorders. Elevated BMI was associated with impulse control disorders only among females. Specific impulse control disorders associated with low BMI included intermittent explosive disorder and conduct disorder. Only intermittent explosive disorder was associated with elevated BMI. CONCLUSION Among Mexican adolescents, those with extremely high or extremely low BMI were more likely to have impulse control disorders than were adolescents with normal BMI.