Self-concept and health related quality of life amongst teenagers as a consequence of BMI/Weight status

Pages: 866-870
Priyanka, Promila Batra and Sarvdeep Kohli (Department of Psychology, M. D. University, Rohtak, Haryana)

In the present era, health has become a serious concern, particularly due to the stress and the consequent faulty health habits and sedentary life styles. These lead to extreme weights. BMI is an indicator of the weight status. The weight related problems are quite frequent in India and the teenagers are also quite vulnerable. Therefore, the present paper attempted to assess the self concept and health related quality of life amongst teenagers as a consequence of BMI/weight status. A sample of 300 students, studying in class IX and XI in various public schools were contacted and 120 subjects in the age range of 14-17 years were selected to form three groups on the basis of BMI/ weight status. These were underweight, normal weight and overweight subjects, these subjects were given self concept questionnaire by Saraswat and SF-36 health related quality of life scale by Ware and Sherbourne. The obtained scores were analyzed by using ANOVA followed by DRT. The results indicate that self concept and health related quality of life were poor in both the underweight and the overweight subjects. The mental health however, was affected only in the overweight subjects.