The Relationship between Self-esteem, Body Image and Eating Attitudes of Children Accessing Community Child Centers

The purpose of this study is to examine the self-esteem, body image and eating attitudes of children who access a community child center and its gender differences, and to test a model linking children’s self-esteem and body-image to eating attitudes. This study employed a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were 153 children from low income families. The results show no significant differences in self-esteem and body image between boys and girls, although they differed significantly in bulimia. The model was tested using path analysis techniques within structural equation modeling. The model fit indices suggests that the full mediation model adequately fits the data (χ 2 = 10.67, df = 5, p = 0.06, TLI = 0.94, CFI =0 .97, RMSEA = 0.08). Children’s self-esteem had a positive direct effect on their body image, which in turn had a direct negative effect on eating attitudes). The findings from this study demonstrate the fundamental importance of self-esteem and its relationship with body image, and eating attitudes, thus increasing the positive body image may be the key to children’s eating disorder.