The association of self-esteem, depression and body satisfaction with obesity among Turkish adolescents.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and to examine the effects of actual weight status, perceived weight status and body satisfaction on self-esteem and depression in a high school population in Turkey.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey of 2101 tenth-grade Turkish adolescents aged 15-18 was conducted. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using weight and height measures. The overweight and obesity were based on the age- and gender-specific BMI cut-off points of the International Obesity Task Force values. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and depression was measured using Children's Depression Inventory. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine relationships among the variables.


RESULTS
Based on BMI cut-off points, 9.0% of the students were overweight and 1.1% were obese. Logistic regression analysis indicated that (1) being male and being from a higher socio-economical level were important in the prediction of overweight based on BMI; (2) being female and being from a higher socio-economical level were important in the prediction of perceived overweight; (3) being female was important in the prediction of body dissatisfaction; (4) body dissatisfaction was related to low self-esteem and depression, perceived overweight was related only to low self-esteem but actual overweight was not related to low self-esteem and depression in adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that school-based adolescents in urban Turkey have a lower risk of overweight and obesity than adolescents in developed countries. The findings of this study suggest that psychological well-being of adolescents is more related to body satisfaction than actual and perceived weight status is.
Ozmen
Dilek
D
Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Health, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey. ozmendilek@yahoo.com
Ozmen
Erol
E
Ergin
Dilek
D
Cetinkaya
Aynur Cakmakci
AC
Sen
Nesrin
N
Dundar
Pinar Erbay
PE
Taskin
E Oryal
EO
D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology