# Self-Esteem as a Mediator Between Body-Esteem and Depression Among Korean Adolescents: Differences by Weight Status

## TL;DR

The study found that self-esteem connects body-esteem and depression in Korean adolescents, with stronger effects in those who are overweight or obese.

## Contribution

The novel finding is that self-esteem's mediating role differs by weight status, suggesting tailored mental health approaches.

## Key findings

- Self-esteem partially mediates body-esteem and depression in normal-weight adolescents.
- Self-esteem fully mediates this relationship in overweight or obese adolescents.
- Body-esteem is higher in normal-weight adolescents compared to those with overweight or obesity.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
Self-esteem mediated the relationship between body-esteem and depression among adolescents, with different mediation patterns across BMI groups.The mediation effect was partial in normal-weight adolescents and full in adolescents who are overweight or obese.

Self-esteem mediated the relationship between body-esteem and depression among adolescents, with different mediation patterns across BMI groups.

The mediation effect was partial in normal-weight adolescents and full in adolescents who are overweight or obese.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Mental health interventions should be tailored based on weight status, addressing body image and global self-esteem in normal-weight adolescents.Programs for adolescents who are overweight or obese should prioritize strengthening self-esteem to reduce vulnerability to depressive symptoms.

Mental health interventions should be tailored based on weight status, addressing body image and global self-esteem in normal-weight adolescents.

Programs for adolescents who are overweight or obese should prioritize strengthening self-esteem to reduce vulnerability to depressive symptoms.

Background/Objectives: Body-esteem during adolescence is associated with depression, potentially through self-esteem, a key indicator of global self-worth. However, evidence regarding whether this mediating pathway differs by weight status remains limited. This study examined the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between body-esteem and depression among normal-weight adolescents and those with overweight or obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional secondary analysis utilized data from 1168 nationally representative 14-year-old adolescents who participated in the 15th wave of the Panel Study on Korean Children (2022). Data were collected between July and December 2022 through home visits conducted by trained interviewers. Mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS Macro Model 4, adjusting for sociodemographic and psychosocial covariates. Results: Based on BMI classification, 77.7% of participants were normal weight and 22.3% were overweight or obese. Body-esteem was higher in normal-weight adolescents than in those with overweight or obesity. In both groups, body-esteem was positively associated with self-esteem and negatively associated with depression. After covariate adjustment, self-esteem partially mediated the association between body-esteem and depressive symptoms in normal-weight adolescents and fully mediated this association in adolescents with overweight or obesity. Conclusions: The psychological pathways linking body-esteem and depression differed by weight status. Self-esteem mediated this association in both groups, with a stronger mediating role identified among adolescents with overweight or obesity. These findings highlight the importance of considering weight status when examining psychological pathways related to body perception and emotional well-being.