How Does Obesity, Self-efficacy for Eating Control and Body Image in Women Affect Each Other?

This study evaluates the interaction of obesity, self-efficacy for eating control and body image on each other in women.

This is a descriptive analytic study performed on 300 healthy married women. Our sample included three groups of individuals including those with normal, high and very high BMI levels, with 100 consecutive cases in each group; the participants were asked to complete three questionnaires: Demographic Information Questionnaire, Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (WEL), and Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ).

A higher BMI level was correlated with older age (r=0.304, p0.001). The WEL score was significantly and inversely correlated with the BMI level (r=-0.817, p0.001) Participants of normal, overweight and obese BMI groups had a mean WEL score of 168.78±9.17, 136.69±22.23 and 68.57±17.55, respectively. All MBSRQ subscale scores were significantly correlated with the BMI level.

A higher BMI level is associated with older age, lower weight self-efficacy and higher body image dissatisfaction among women.