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.

Hvordan foreldre reagerer når barnet er overvektig

“…I studien vår, som i andre studier (16,18,21), er foreldre redde for at oppmerksomhet på vekt kan gi barnet et negativt syn på egen kropp. Å vaere foreldre til et barn i en stor kropp kan oppleves som en ambivalent prosess.…”

“…På den andre siden ønsker de enda sterkere at barna skal ha et godt selvbilde (18). En longitudinell studie av kanadiske barn i ti-elleveårsalderen viser sammenheng mellom overvekt og risiko for å utvikle lavt selvbilde og dårlig psykisk helse senere i livet (21,22). Barn helt ned i fire-femårsalderen er opptatt av egen kropp og hvordan de ser ut (23), og flere av barna i studien vår syntes selv de var for tykke, hadde fått kommentarer fra medelever og var blitt ertet.…”

“…Barneidretten består ofte av ulike former for konkurranser i stedet for lek og moro. Tunge barn opplever ofte nederlag ved ikke å bli plukket ut på laget, eller ved å kjenne at de ikke klarer å henge med (21). Det er viktig med alternative arenaer der alle kan trives med å vaere fysisk aktive uten en prestasjonskultur.…”

“…Disse erfaringene støttes av kunnskapen om den positive sammenhengen mellom fysisk aktivitet og selvbilde (21). Andre studier viser også at intervensjoner som fokuserer på fysisk aktivitet og kosthold, kan ha positiv innvirkning på vekt og fysisk helse (27,28).…”

Perception of body image and tendencies of eating behaviour among adolescents

“…Body image depicts accuracy of body perception and degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with it [4]. With body image able to affect social relationships and cognitive processes [5,6] and therefore to influence subsequent life it is important to find the prevalence and nature of weight-control measures and body image's perception, especially among young people.Adolescence is a critical period of life with dramatic body changes [7]. Now when more and more people think that person is beautiful, attractive and healthy only if he/she is slender and being fat is considered abominable causing fear of becoming overweight, adolescents begin to think that normal puberty is uniform with loss of weight control -in their view teenagers with normal feminine/ masculine body shape are obese, ugly, lazy loser's incapable of self-control.…”