Obese kids more likely to have low self-esteem

Obese children are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem than their peers, particularly girls. Researchers from the University of Leeds School of Medicine in the UK studied more than 2,800 Australian school children, and found that obese girls were four times more likely to report signs of low self-worth than their thinner peers. They were also five times less likely to show high self-esteem. Obese boys were also affected, showing less satisfaction with their appearance and less confidence in their athletic abilities than normal-weight boys. But compared with girls, weight seemed to take lesser toll on boys. Previous studies have suggested that heavy children and teenagers tend to have a poorer self-image than their thinner peers. But the new findings actually quantify their risk of low self-esteem and show which areas of life such as physical appearance and athletic ability are typically affected. The current study included 2,813 Australian children between the ages of 9 and 13 years. Each child completed a standard questionnaire that assessed overall self-worth, as well as specific aspects of children's self-image, like academic performance, athletic skill, physical appearance and acceptance among their peers. Obese girls tended to score lower than thinner girls did in all of these aspects, except school performance. They also scored lower than obese boys, who differed from thinner boys mainly in athletic confidence and satisfaction with their appearance. The findings underline that psychosocial problems associated with child obesity are common. And whereas the physical health effects of obesity are often in the future, children have to face the emotional and social effects immediately. Not all obese children view themselves negatively. The large majority of obese children in the current study, in fact, did not have a generally poor self-image though many had a tough time with certain aspects of self-esteem, like satisfaction with their appearance. The question is - what makes some overweight children resilient in a society where obesity is stigmatised. For parents who are obese themselves should look at their own self-image and how they demonstrate it to their children in the remarks they make about themselves, for instance. Parents can also try asking their children how they feel about their weight. If the extra pounds are an emotional problem, he said parents might want to seek professional help in managing their children's weight in a healthy way.