J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry.  2011 Jun;22(2):112-119.

Association with Self-Perception for Obesity and Mental Health among Korean Adolescent

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.
  • 2U-healthcare Center, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
  • 3Clinical Trial Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Department of Psychiatry, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea. manitch@paran.com

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
Obesity has been linked to various psychological problems as well as medical complications, especially among adolescents. Previous studies have suggested an association between body weight and depression or self-esteem ; however, there has been little evidence on self-perception of weight and mental health. The aim of this study was to examine the association of perceptional weight status with mental health in Korean adolescents.
METHODS
This study was based on data obtained from the third Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2005). The study sample consisted of 583 adolescents (268 boys, 315 girls) aged 12-18 years, who had completed the health survey, the health examination, and the nutritional survey. Participants were divided into two groups based on the actual or perceptional weight status: non-obese and obese. Questionnaires for stress, depressive mood, and suicidal thoughts were utilized as mental health indicators.
RESULTS
The agreement between actual and perceptional weight status was moderate (kappa value, 0.585 ; p<0.01). The influencing factors for the discrepancy between actual and perceptional weight status were body mass index of subjects and their parents' education. The obese group was likely to have higher stress levels and more experience of depressive mood or suicidal ideation in regard to both actual and perceptional weight status. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that girls who had perceived themselves as obese were more likely to have an experience of depressive mood than other girls (unadjusted OR, 4.98 ; adjusted OR, 5.15).
CONCLUSION
An experience of depressive mood was significantly associated with the perception of weight status and not actual weight status in Korean female adolescents.

Keyword

Obesity; Self-Perception; Mental Health; Adolescent

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Aged
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Depression
Health Surveys
Humans
Logistic Models
Mental Health
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Self Concept
Suicidal Ideation
Surveys and Questionnaires
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