Central obesity and its association with youth physical and mental health: evidence from the Australian National Health Survey.

Setognal B Aychiluhm, Allen G Ross, Vivian Isaac, Subash Thapa, Kedir Y Ahmed

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

3citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

Triglyceride-glucose waist-to-height ratio improves risk stratification for depressive symptoms: evidence from NHANES.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026
Article
Association between waist-to-height ratio and chronic pain among American adults: A cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Medicine · 2026
Article
Joint assessment of white blood cell-to-HDL cholesterol ratio and waist-to-height-hemoglobin A1c for cardiometabolic multimorbidity risk: a prospective cohort study and cross-sectional study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026
Article

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Setognal B AychiluhmRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia. saychiluhm@csu.edu.au.

Allen G RossCollege of Medicine, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.

Vivian IsaacSchool of Allied Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, Faculty of Science & Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia.

Subash ThapaRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.

Kedir Y AhmedRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBody fat topography, especially visceral fat accumulation in the abdominal region, is a key risk factor for cardiometabolic and mental health illnesses. This is particularly important for children and young people, as excess abdominal fat gained early in life often leads to obesity in adulthood. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of central obesity, and its association with physical and mental health morbidity among Australian youth using nationally representative data.

methodsThis cross-sectional study analysed de-identified data from 3,087 youth (aged 15-24 years) in the 2017-18 Australian National Health Survey. Central obesity was defined as a waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) of ≥ 0.5. Multimorbidity was the presence of ≥ 2 long-term physical (e.g., diabetes, hypertension) or mental (e.g., anxiety, depression) disorders, while physical-mental multimorbidity required at least one of each. A Bayesian multilevel model was employed to identify factors associated with central obesity, and logistic regression was utilised to investigate the relationship between central obesity and morbidity outcomes.

resultsThe overall prevalence of central obesity among Australian youth (15-24 years) was 33.1% (95% CI: 31.4-34.8). Older youth (aged 18-24 years) had significantly higher odds of central obesity (AOR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.64-3.27), as did males (AOR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.39-2.15), those living in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged households (AOR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.91-4.02), those residing in major cities (AOR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.01-1.92), and individuals with depression (AOR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.04-2.49). Additionally, our findings revealed that central obesity was significantly associated with mental disorder (AOR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.04-1.50), overall multimorbidity (AOR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.01-1.59), and combined physical-mental multimorbidity (AOR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.21-2.01).

conclusionsThis study highlights central obesity as a key factor associated with both physical and mental health conditions among Australian youth. A life-course perspective that addresses social determinants of health (e.g., access to safe and affordable housing, education, and healthcare) alongside individual lifestyle factors (e.g., balanced diet and regular physical activity) may help mitigate these associations.

Indexed as

Mental DisordersMental HealthObesity, AbdominalAdolescentAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHealth SurveysHumansMalePrevalenceRisk FactorsYoung AdultAustraliaCentral obesityMental healthMultimorbidityYouth

Identifiers

PMID41299659

DOI10.1186/s12916-025-04538-5

PMCPMC12752446

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY

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