The influence of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem on obesity among Chinese children.

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and obesity can have negative impacts on the health of children. Understanding the relationship between obesity and mental disorders in children and adolescents will help develop effective prevention and intervention strategies.

OBJECTIVES

The main aim is to examine the relationship between anxiety-related emotional disorders, self-esteem, and BMI (obesity) among children, as well as determined the role of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem in predicting childhood obesity in China.

METHODS

Utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional study design, data were from 136 participants collected through standardized instrument measures from Chinese children: the "Chinese screening for overweight and obesity among school-age children and adolescents" in the "Health Industry Standards of the People's Republic of China" as the standard for identifying obesity, the Screen for Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) for assessing anxiety disorder, and the Children's Self-Esteem Scale (CSES) for evaluating self-esteem. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses was performed using SPSS version 26 to determine the predictive relationships between the variables.

RESULTS

Specific anxiety-related emotional disorders-particularly panic disorder and separation anxiety disorder-significantly predicted higher BMI in Chinese children, while generalized anxiety disorder and school avoidance were associated with lower BMI. Self-esteem, contrary to expectations, did not significantly predict obesity.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasises the necessity of including early psychological screen in childhood obesity prevention, particularly for anxiety symptoms. The findings have practical consequences for schools, doctors, and public health officials. Further research is needed to better understand the mental-physical health relationship in children.