Self Esteem and Childhood Obesity

Self-esteem is a person's sense of self-worth. It's how people define themselves which in turn influences their attitudes, motivations and behaviors throughout life. Self-esteem can be negatively influenced by a lack of self-confidence, independence and a sense of personal identity. Constant criticism and chronic self-doubt can also harm self-esteem.

According to a report in the January issue of Pediatrics, researchers collected data from over 1,500 white, black, and Hispanic children at age 10 and followed them for four years. Self-esteem was measured using a standard psychological tool, body mass was calculated from height and weight, and tobacco/alcohol use was reported via questionnaire. The data showed that self-esteem was not significantly different between obese and non-obese children at 10 years of age. But by age 14, significantly lower self-esteem was observed among obese boys and girls of all races. But the effect of obesity on self-esteem in white and Hispanic girls was significantly greater than it was in black girls. In all of the teens, low self-esteem was associated with feelings of sadness, loneliness, and nervousness. Additionally, the obese children were more likely to use tobacco and alcohol.

The chief investigator says the findings have implications for psychological well-being. "Our findings and [those of] others indicate that early adolescence is a critical time for obese children," says Richard Strauss, MD, director of the Childhood Weight Control Program and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. "Because this is when they're developing their sense of self-worth."

It is very important that parents watch for signs of social withdrawal and start to work on the situation before it becomes a huge problem; possibly life threatening. Parents of an obese child can improve their child's self esteem by emphasizing the child's strengths and positive qualities rather than just focusing on their weight problem. The aim in managing weight is to be healthy. This means having a healthy lifestyle which includes exercise not just a focus on weight loss. Encourage your child to play sports that they like and do well at. Make it a family event; walking and bike riding as a family can be excellent exercise and healthy for everyone.

As an owner and operator of a children's sports and recreation facility, I see the obstacles that overweight children face daily. That's why I created, GYMTRIX. GYMTRIX programs give kids a healthy start to a lifetime of physical activity and fitness! This life-long habit of physical activity will give kids a hedge against obesity. They teach the physical literacy skills needed to understand movement. Children feel more confident and join in the game on their own, instead of staying on the sidelines.