Self-esteem and mental health among obese and non-obese people

Abstract

Obesity and mental health problems are becoming as major health related issues in 21st century due to improper and unhealthy lifestyles. In other hand the term self-esteem is derived word “esteem” (in Latin aestimare means to value), it denotes how we value ourselves. It plays important role in body mass index and mental health. Aim and objectives of present study to explore various research input in obesity research through multiple linear analysis and non-parametric test such as Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal Wallis test among 560 obese and non-obese participants from Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu, India using Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale (RSES) and the Mental Health Inventory-38 (MHI-38) along with body mass index (BMI) measurement. The results stated self-esteem have significant mean difference at the level of .001 with respect to age, and at level of .000 with respect to body mass index, whereas gender have showed statistical insignificant mean difference at .181. Whereas mental health have significant mean difference only in body mass index at the level of .000 and showed no significant mean difference in age and gender with p-value .504 and .421 respectively.