Body shape – self esteem: relationships with sex and body mass index

Abstract

Results A strong negative correlation between perceived concern on body shape and perceived self esteem was identified, Spearman's rs(190) = 0.63, p < 0.001, with high levels of perceived concern on body shape associated with lower levels of perceived self esteem. A Mann Whitney statistical test was conducted to investigate if there is a significant difference between body shape and self esteem scores of males and females. There was no statistically significant difference in body shape scores of males and females, but there was a statistically significant difference in self esteem scores between men and women (p < 0.001), with lower scores on self esteem occurring at women. To investigate if there is a significant difference in body shape and self esteem scores within the five Body Mass Index categories that we had divided our sample in, according to WHO's criteria (1995) for the definition of obesity, Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted. Results indicate a significant difference in body shape (p < 0.001) and self esteem scores (p < 0.001) across the different BMI groups. Subsequent Mann Whitney tests have demonstrated a significant statistical difference in Body Shape scores between all of the BMI categories except from categories 3 and 4, 3 and 5, and 4 and 5. Results were reproduced for self esteem scores across the same categories.