Resumen de Relación del índice de masa corporal con felicidad, autoestima y depresión en adultos jóvenes / The relationship between body mass index and happiness, self-esteem, and depression in young adults

Graciela Cristina Avitia, Verónica Portillo Reyes, Gilberto Reyes Leal, Yolanda Loya Méndez

• español

  La obesidad es una enfermedad con repercusión psicológica, por lo que es importante reconocer los rasgos psicológicos y de comportamiento de quienes la padecen. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los niveles de felicidad, autoestima y depresión en individuos con normopeso (NP) y con sobrepeso/obesidad (SO). La muestra estuvo constituida por 151 alumnos de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) con una media de edad de 21.44 años. Los resultados mostraron que el grupo de SO tuvo puntuaciones significativamente más elevadas en sentido positivo de la vida y realización personal, en comparación con el grupo de NP. Sin embargo, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en autoestima y depresión. Estos resultados no coinciden con los de otras investigaciones y podrían ser explicados por el grado de aceptación en el entorno social hacia las personas con obesidad, las estrategias de afrontamiento y la prevalencia de obesidad y sobrepeso entre otras variables con las que se ha asociado la relación obesidad/infelicidad.AbstractObesity is a condition with psychological repercussions, hence the importance of identifying psychological and behavioral traits of those afflicted by it.  The objective of this work is to analyze happiness, depression, and self-esteem levels in people with normal weight (NP) and overweight/obesity (SO). The sample was comprised of 151 students from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) with an average age of 21.44 years. Results show a significantly higher score in positive sense of life and personal realization in the SO group in comparison with the NP group. Nonetheless, no significant difference was found in happiness and depression levels. These results part away from those of other existing research which might suggest that people with SO do not experience lack of acceptance from their social environment, a factor normally associated with unhappiness in people with obesity.

• English

  Obesity is a condition with psychological repercussions, hence the importance of identifying psychological and behavioral traits of those afflicted by it.  The objective of this work is to analyze happiness, depression, and self-esteem levels in people with normal weight (NP) and overweight/obesity (SO). The sample was comprised of 151 students from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) with an average age of 21.44 years. Results show a significantly higher score in positive sense of life and personal realization in the SO group in comparison with the NP group. Nonetheless, no significant difference was found in happiness and depression levels. These results part away from those of other existing research which might suggest that people with SO do not experience lack of acceptance from their social environment, a factor normally associated with unhappiness in people with obesity.