Association of Body Mass Index with Self-Esteem and Social Appearance Anxiety among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Many studies reported that obesity not only influences self-esteem but social appearance anxiety as well. Distortions of self-perceived body image can be seen in teenagers starting from the age of 15 and are often carried into their university years. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the relationship between body mass index with self-esteem and social appearance anxiety among the university students. Methods: A total of 183 university students (mean age ± SD = 21. 02 ± 1.37 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire consisting of demographic questions, questions on self-esteem, and the social appearance anxiety scale was used to collect the data. All the data were analysed descriptively and using Chi Square test. Results: The results demonstrated no significant association between body mass index and self-esteem (p>0.05), and body mass index and social appearance anxiety (p>0.05). However, there is a significant association between self-esteem and social appearance anxiety among the respondents, based on Chi Square test analysis (p < 0.05). The results also showed an inverse relationship between self-esteem and social appearance anxiety such that students with low self-esteem could have high social appearance anxiety and vice versa. Conclusion: This study found that self-esteem is significantly associated with social appearance anxiety among university students. Therefore, it is important for the university management to address the psychological health issues of students, such as low self-esteem and social appearance anxiety, as these may not only affect academic adjustment but may be a risk factor of other psychosocial problems.