Citation

Hill AJ. Curr. Obes. Rep. 2017; 6(1): 63-70.

Affiliation

Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds School of Medicine, Level 10, Worsley Building, Clarendon Way, Leeds, LS2 9NL, UK. a.j.hill@leeds.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Current Medicine Group)

DOI

10.1007/s13679-017-0246-y

PMID

28220456

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There are contrasting views regarding the psychological well-being of children with obesity. Responding to limitations of existing evidence, Jane Wardle in 2005 argued for a 'myth of psychological maladjustment'. This review looks again at self-esteem. RECENT FINDINGS: The different characterisations of self-esteem each offer value. Global self-esteem is reduced in nearly all studies of youth with obesity. Dimensional self-esteem reveals physical appearance, athletic and social competence as the most affected areas, confirmed by research that has operationalised low self-competence. Children with obesity are also more likely to be victimised by their peers, generally and for their fatness. Victims who bully others appear to preserve some aspects of self-esteem. A relatively small proportion of youth with obesity has low self-esteem, but those with severe and persistent obesity are especially compromised. Weight loss is only weakly associated with improved self-competence suggesting the value of resilience and asset approaches to improving well-being.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescents; Children; Obesity; Peer relationships; Self-esteem; Victimisation