title: Differences in body esteem by weight status, gender, and physical activity among young elementary school-aged children.
abstract: Body satisfaction is important for the prevention of disordered eating and body image disturbances. Yet, little is known about body esteem and what influences it among younger children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate body esteem and the relationships between body esteem, weight, gender, and physical activity in elementary school children. A total of 214 third graders in a U.S. Midwestern state participated in this correlational study. The Body Mass Index-for-age, the Body Esteem Scale (BES), BE-Weight, BE-Appearance, and a Physical Activity Checklist were used to examine the relationships between the variables using bivariate correlations and analysis of variance. While children's body esteem did not differ by physical activity, important interactions were identified between weight status and gender in global body esteem and BE-Appearance. It is critical to examine attitudes about weight and appearance and the relationship between body esteem and self-esteem further among middle childhood-aged children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, 311 Human Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. lenka.humenikova@okstate.edu
authors.forename: Lenka H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Shriver
authors.forename: Amanda W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Harrist
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hubbs-Tait
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moulton
authors.forename: Glade
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Topham
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009043:Motor Activity; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology