title: Factors associated with low self-esteem in children with overweight.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low self-esteem is one of the main psychosocial factors related to childhood overweight. Yet not all overweight children are affected. Little is known about what characterises the group of overweight children with the lowest self-esteem. Our aim was to identify factors related to low domain-specific self-esteem in children with overweight/obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (aged 10-13; N = 5,185) and parents from a large population-based sample completed the Eating Disturbance Scale, the Self-Perception Profile for Children, and questions about bullying and socio-economic status (SES). Parents reported the child's weight and height. 545 children with overweight/obesity were identified in the overall sample and selected for the current analyses. Self-esteem scores from this group were compared to scores from children with normal weight. Factors examined in relation to self-esteem in children with overweight/obesity were: age, gender, SES, disturbed eating, bullying, parents' evaluation of weight status and degree of overweight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with overweight scored significantly lower than normal-weight children on all self-esteem domains. Athletic competence and physical appearance were most impaired. Disturbed eating and bullying were related to low physical appearance as well as scholastic, social and athletic self-esteem. Being female, a pre-teen, having a higher BMI and being evaluated as overweight by parents were associated with lower satisfaction with physical appearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disturbed eating and bullying are significantly related to low self-esteem in the overweight group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. yngvild.danielsen@psysp.uib.no
authors.forename: Yngvild Sørebø
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Danielsen
authors.forename: Kjell Morten
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Stormark
authors.forename: Inger Hilde
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Nordhus
authors.forename: Magne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mæhle
authors.forename: Liv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ekornås
authors.forename: Ståle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pallesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires