title: The association between body mass index and physical activity, and body image, self esteem and social support in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations between body mass index (BMI) and physical activity with body image, self-esteem and social support in adolescents with type 1 diabetes compared to adolescents without health conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 46 adolescents with type 1 diabetes and 27 comparison adolescents who provided self-reports of height and weight, which were used to calculate BMI z-scores. Participants also completed validated questionnaires that assessed physical activity, body image, self-esteem and social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant group differences were found between adolescents with type 1 diabetes and comparison adolescents in terms of BMI and physical activity. Examination of group and gender revealed that higher BMI was significantly associated with a less positive body image in girls with diabetes only. Higher BMI was associated with poorer self-esteem and lower levels of social support in adolescents with diabetes, particularly girls. Higher levels of physical activity were not associated with a more positive body image and no significant associations were found between physical activity and self-esteem or social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMI and physical activity levels of adolescents with type 1 diabetes do not differ from those of adolescents without diabetes. Higher BMI is associated with a less positive body image and poorer psychosocial outcomes, particularly in girls with diabetes. As body image concerns and various psychosocial factors could be precursors to the development of eating-disorder symptoms, future research in adolescents with diabetes with higher BMIs should examine the associations among these variables. Further, it is essential that research on body image take into account gender differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary and Diabetes Clinic, Alberta Children's Hospital Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: laura.kaminsky@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kaminsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Behavioural Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dewey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000416:Alberta; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003710:Demography; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: activité physique; adolescents; body image; body mass index; diabète de type 1; image corporelle; indice de masse corporelle; physical activity; type 1 diabetes