title: Obesity, Body Image, Depression, and Weight-control Behaviour Among Female University Students in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity has become epidemic worldwide and 31.0% of Korean adults are obese. Obesity is the main cause of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac disease, and cancer. The purpose of the study was to examine obesity, body image, depression, and weight-control behaviour among Korean female university students and investigate the differences in body image, depression, and weight-control behaviour with respect to obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study examined obesity, body image, depression, and weight control in 700 female university students from 4 universities in South Korea. To evaluate obesity, both objective obesity (body mass index [BMI]) and subjective obesity (subjectively perceived) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference between objective and subjective obesity (χ(2) = 231.280, P < 0.001). In addition, the objective obesity group had the lowest body image score (F = 19.867, P < 0.001) and difference in weight-control behaviour (F = 3.145, P = 0.045). Further, the subjective obesity group had the lowest body image score (F = 58.281, P < 0.001). The results revealed a statistically significant difference in body image and weight-control behaviour with respect to objective obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Objective and subjective obesity was negatively associated with body image, and no relationships between objective or subjective obesity and depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, Dong-eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Data Information Science, Dong-eui University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Choi
keywords: Body image; Depression; Obesity