The evaluation of relationship between the body mass index and self-esteem and eating attitudes in patients applied to family medicine outpatient clinic in A university hospital

Introduction and Aim: Eating disorders with physical and psychosocial dimensions are manifested by the deterioration in the eating and eating habits of the individual about eating, body weight and appearance. Most epidemiological studies have shown a strong relationship between body mass index and eating attitude and self-esteem. In this study we examined the relationship between body mass index and eating attitude and self-esteem in patients admitted to Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Family Medicine outpatient clinic. Material and Methods: The patients between 18-65 years of age who applied to Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic between 01.11.2018 and 01.02.2019 as the universe of this descriptive cross-sectional study. The sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, self-esteem and eating attitudes of the patients who applied to the outpatient clinic between these dates and the relationship between these parameters and the effect of body mass index and eating attitude on self esteem were investigated. Results: Of the participants, 155 (51%) were male and 149 (49%) were female. 102 (33.6%) of the participants were married and 154 (66.4%) were single, and 186 (61.2%) were university graduates, 75 (24.7%) were high school graduates and 16 (5.3%) were secondary school graduates, 12 (3.9%) were primary school graduates and 15 (4.9%) were illiterate. According to gender, there was a significant difference between body mass index and eating attitude, while no significant difference was found between self esteem. While there was no significant difference between smoking status and eating attitude and self-esteem score, body mass index was significantly higher in smokers. Among the cases investigated by marital status, the body mass index was found to be higher than married and the eating attitude score was higher in the bachelors. While there was a significant positive correlation between body mass index and eating attitude, a negative non-significant correlation was found between body mass index and self-esteem. There was a negative and nonsignificant correlation between eating attitude and self-esteem Conclusion: In our study, body mass index was found to be related to sex, marital status and smoking. A positive correlation was found between body mass index and eating attitude. As the body mass index increases eating behavior deteriorates. Although it was not statistically significant, body mass index had a negative effect on self-esteem. Further studies are needed to determine which affects the other between body mass index and eating attitude. KEYWORDS: Body mass index, eating attitude, self-esteem, smoking