Self-esteem (SE) and obesity have been consistently linked across numerous studies. The present research explores this connection among adults living in Saudi Arabia. The main goals of this study are to examine the association between SE and body mass index (BMI) and to evaluate how sociodemographic factors interact with these variables. A cross-sectional design was adopted, with an online questionnaire collecting sociodemographic information, self-reported BMI, and responses to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
Self-esteem levels remained largely stable across age groups, as indicated by the Chi-square test [X2 (12, n = 332) = 5.278, P-value = 0.948]. Among males, notable differences in SE levels were observed across the various BMI categories, indicating that BMI exerts a substantial effect on SE in this group. In both men and women, the findings demonstrated a negative relationship: higher BMI was associated with lower SE. This association reached statistical significance in both genders (P-value < 0.001). The effect was stronger in males (Estimate = −0.110, P-value < 0.001) compared with females (Estimate = −0.099, P-value < 0.001). For females, the negative association with education was more pronounced (−0.273) and highly significant (P-value < 0.001) relative to males (Estimate = −0.157, P-value < 0.001). Higher levels of education were linked to lower BMI (P-value = 0.018). In men, indirect effects revealed that education (Estimate = 0.0173*) and marital status (Estimate = −0.0405*) had significant influences on SE through mediating variables. Overall, BMI had a significant negative impact on SE in both genders, with a more marked effect among males. Comparisons of nested models highlighted meaningful gender differences in how these factors influence SE. A negative correlation exists between BMI and SE in both men and women, with the relationship stronger in men. These gender-specific patterns in the BMI-SE association emphasize the need to consider separate pathways for men and women in subsequent research.
