Changes of Obesity Indices, Body Satisfaction and Self-Esteem of Obese Children on Weight Control Program

Kim, Kyung Hee

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the changes of physical and psychological factors of obese children, obesity indices and blood serum levels, food habits and body and self-esteem after a weight control program. The results from this study were as follows: Participants of the study involved 20 boys (48.8%) and 21 girls (51.2%) totaling 41 children. Children's weight control experiences were 90.2% and parents' were 59.5%. Among methods of weight control, children and parents both used exercise and reduced amounts of meals. Sixty-one percent of the children had breakfast almost everyday. The reasons of skipping breakfast were having no time to eat by 44.4% and 50% of children watched TV while having a meal and they considered taste (55.3%) and nutrition value (21.1%) when choosing food. After the weight control program, the children's body fat percent (%) significantly decreased from 40.3% to 35.4% (p < 0.01). There was significant difference of boys and girls' hip circumferences (92.9 cm, 91.4 cm, p < 0.01) after the program but there was only a slight change in their WHR (0.91, 0.92). Girls' waist circumferences significantly decreased from 75.0 cm to 73.0 cm (p < 0.05) and there was a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol, 50.0 (mg/dL) to 55.2 (mg/dL), (p < 0.05). Knowledge levels of obesity significantly increased from 2.5 to 5.1 in the girls' cases (p < 0.001). Nonetheless, attitudes of weight control and food habits score had not changed a lot. After the program, both the boys and girls' body-esteem had significantly increased (p < 0.01) but self-esteem had not changed. These results suggest that a body weight control program must be included in nutrition education, exercise and psychotherapy to improve body and self-esteem of obese children.