SCIENCE@home

The Appearance of Disordered Eating Behaviors in Adulthood Through Low Self-Esteem and Mental Health in Childhood

Anna Papadimitriou,Eirini Karakasidou

Published 2025 in Future

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and stress experienced during childhood may contribute to the development of disordered eating behaviors in adulthood. The existing literature indicates that disordered eating habits are positively associated with symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, and low self-esteem. However, most research focuses on the concurrent relationships among these variables rather than examining whether low self-esteem and poor mental health in childhood can influence the emergence of disordered eating behaviors later in life. An online quantitative survey was conducted using questionnaires completed by 135 participants aged between 30 and 70 years. The results revealed that low self-esteem and high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during childhood were associated with increased disordered eating behaviors in adulthood. These findings suggest that negative self-perceptions and poor mental health in childhood have lasting effects that extend into adulthood. This knowledge can be valuable for psychologists, mental health professionals, parents, and schools in designing intervention programs aimed at enhancing children’s and adolescents’ self-esteem, promoting good mental health, and fostering healthy eating habits.

PUBLICATION RECORD

CITATION MAP

EXTRACTION MAP

CLAIMS

  • No claims are published for this paper.

CONCEPTS

  • No concepts are published for this paper.

REFERENCES

Showing 1-81 of 81 references · Page 1 of 1

CITED BY