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


METHODS
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.
Shin
Na Young
NY
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Shin
Min Sup
MS
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires