Body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and depression in obese Korean children

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between obesity and psychological well being in children and to examine the mediation effect of body dissatisfaction on mental health of obese Korean children.

Study design: A total of 413 Korean children in grades 5 and 6 from 3 elementary schools completed self-reporting questionnaires on body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and level of depressive symptoms. A sex-specific body mass index for age at or the above the 95th percentile was defined as obese, and that between the 85th and 94th percentiles was defined as overweight.

Results: Obese children demonstrated higher body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem than normal weight and overweight peers (P = 0 and .008, respectively), but not more depression. Body dissatisfaction mediated the association between obesity and self-esteem. The obese children with body dissatisfaction had significantly lower self-esteem and higher levels of depressive symptoms than the obese children without body dissatisfaction and normal weight children (P = 0).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childhood obesity may be linked to body dissatisfaction, leading to low self-esteem and high levels of depressive symptoms.