Gender differences in the associations between body mass index, depression, anxiety, and stress among endocrinologists in China

BACKGROUND: Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms have been found to be associated with overweight or obesity, but the gender differences in the associations have not been well-examined. Based on a national sample of endocrinologists in China, we examined such associations with a focus on gender differences. METHODS: Data were collected from endocrinologists in China using an online questionnaire, which included demographic data, body weight, and height. Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). RESULTS: In total, 679 endocrinologists (174 males and 505 females) completed the survey. One-fourth (25.6%) were classified as overweight, with a significant gender difference (48.9% in males vs. 17.6% in females, p < 0.05). Overall, 43.4% of the participants endorsed probable depressive symptoms (54.6% in males and 39.6% in females, p = 0.004), 47.6% for anxiety (51.7% in males vs. 46.1% in females, p = 0.203), and 29.6% for stress symptoms (34.5% in males vs. 27.92% in females, p = 0.102). After controlling for confounders, in the whole group, male gender (aOR = 4.07, 95% CI:2.70–6.14, p < 0.001), depression (aOR = 1.05, 95% CI:1.00-1.10, p = 0.034) and age (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI:1.00-1.05, p = 0.018) were positively associated with overweight. In males, depression (aOR = 1.14, 95% CI:1.05–1.25, p = 0.002), administration position (aOR = 4.36, 95% CI:1.69–11.24, p = 0.002), and night shifts/month (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI:1.06–1.49, p = 0.008) were positively associated with overweight, while anxiety (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI:0.82–0.98, p = 0.020) was negatively associated with overweight. In females, only age (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI:1.01–1.07, p = 0.014) was significantly associated with overweight status, while depression and anxiety were not associated with overweight. Stress symptoms were not associated with overweight in either gender. CONCLUSIONS: One-fourth of endocrinologists in China are overweight, with a rate in males nearly triple the one in females. Depression and anxiety are significantly associated with overweight in males but not females. This suggests possible differences in the mechanism. Our findings also highlight the need to screen depression and overweight in male physicians and the importance of developing gender-specific interventions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-023-01150-1.