Association of Parents’ Body Esteem and Body Mass Index with Children’s Body Esteem and BMI: A Study from Turkey

Abstract

Aim:Childhood obesity is associated with psychosocial and medical comorbidities. Children affected by obesity have significantly lower self-esteem than children with normal weight, and families have an important role in the development of body image and body dissatisfaction. We aimed to examine the relationship between the body esteem of obese children and their parents’ body esteem and weight status.Materials and Methods:This study was carried out in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, and was rolled out to 9 to 11-year-old children and their parents in 46 schools (2,066 parent-child dyads). The data were collected via parent and child questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were conducted by the project team. Four different logistic regression models were performed separately; body esteem and Body Mass Index (BMI) for fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, and mothers and daughters.Results:Mothers obesity was associated with their daughters’ and their sons’ obesity status. Fathers’ obesity status appears to be positively associated with their sons’ status only but not their daughters’. The body esteem of the obese boys was adversely affected only by their own BMI in the models with their fathers and mothers. Compared to boys, girls were affected adversely by their own BMI, their body esteem, and their mothers’ and fathers’ body esteem.Conclusion:A strong association between both the mothers’ and fathers’ role in the body esteem of daughters was found. Further research should be conducted to better understand the socio-cultural dynamics that may be unique to the development of childhood obesity.

Keywords

• bmi
• body esteem
• childhood obesity
• parental relations
• daughter
• sons
• turkey