The relationship of general and abdominal obesity with self-esteem in Iranian soldiers of Tehran barracks

Background: Nowadays, social acceptance criteria have changed, which can affect individuals’ self-esteem. One of these criteria is physical fitness. On the other hand, overweight and obesity have increased in recent decades. This has a substantial impact on physical and mental health. The present study aims to explore the association of general and abdominal obesity with self-esteem. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2016 on 246 soldiers who were selected from barracks of Tehran through cluster sampling according to inclusion criteria. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standards introduced. For each of the participants, 24-hour food recall were recorded and dietary diversity score was determined. Self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. In the final analysis, confounding factors was controlled, and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In this study, 37% of people had low self-esteem. In the adjusted model, an inverse association was observed between self-esteem and central obesity (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.05-1.53, P for trend = 0.01). Also, people with generalized obesity had a higher risk for having lower self-esteem (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.31-1.73, P for trend = 0.01). Conclusion: Overall, general and central obesity have an inverse relationship to self-esteem. This relationship remains even after controlling for potential confounders. Prospective studies are required to confirm these associations in military populations.