The relationship between obesity and eating behavior, body image and self-esteem

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between obesity and eating behaviors, body perception and self-esteem. Material and Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic. Participants above 18 years old, volunteer, 64 obese, 58 overweight and 65 normal weighted according to their body mass index (BMI), in total 187 people participated. Participants filled sociodemographic characteristics questionnare, the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Body Perception and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results: When the self-esteem scores of the participants were examined according to BMI groups, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Although the mean score of body image of obese group was lower than other groups, there was no statistically significant difference between the three groups. In the overweight group, restrictive eating behavior was found to be significantly higher than the normal weight and obese group, but no relationship was found between emotional eating and exogenous eating. When the participants were asked how they evaluated their own weight, only 19 (29.7%) of the obese patients considered themselves as obese, and 42 (65.6%) perceived themselves as overweight. Conclusion: Physicians who evaluate their patients by encouraging their healthy eating behavior and by taking into account the causes of obesity and their psychological and social problems can be more effective and successful in the prevention, treatment and follow-up of obesity.