Depression, anxiety, stress symptoms among overweight and obesity in medical students, with mediating effects of academic burnout and internet addiction

This research by Zhuang et al. (2025) investigated how academic burnout and internet addiction mediate the link between BMI categories (normal weight vs. overweight/obesity) and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in medical students. The study analyzed data from 610 medical students aged 18–24 in 2023. Researchers found that being overweight or obese significantly contributed to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, all with strong statistical significance. These psychological symptoms were also associated with increased academic burnout and internet addiction. The findings suggest that overweight or obese students face a greater risk for mental health challenges, but these effects might be alleviated through interventions targeting burnout and internet addiction. [NPID: Depressive, anxiety, stress symptoms, medical students, overweight, obesity status, academic burnout, internet addiction, mediation analysis]

Year: 2025

Reference: Zhuang, H., Zhao, H., Liu, M., Wang, Y., Wang, Y., He, C., Zhai, J., & Wang, B. (2025). Depression, anxiety, stress symptoms among overweight and obesity in medical students, with mediating effects of academic burnout and internet addiction. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 16566. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01793-7

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