Impact of Body Mass Index on Eating Disorders in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Focusing on Mediating Effect of Body Dissatisfaction, Self-esteem, and Depression

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to verify the mediating effects of body dissatisfaction, selfesteem, and depression on the association between the body mass index (BMI) and eating disorders in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. @*Methods@#Secondary data were analyzed in this study. The original analysis was conducted using data from 136 adolescents aged 13–18 years with type 1 diabetes. The results of testing for mediating effects were analyzed using a serial-multiple mediation model (model 6) using the PROCESS macro in SPSS ver. 3.3. @*Results@#The direct effect of the BMI on eating disorders was not statistically significant (effect=0.22; 95 % confidence interval [CI], -0.20 to 0.64), but the indirect effects were statistically significant (effect=0.28; 95% CI, 0.05–0.63). In detail, the indirect effect of BMI on eating disorders mediated by body dissatisfaction was statistically significant (effect=0.28; 95% CI, 0.10–0.61); by body dissatisfaction and depression was statistically significant (effect=0.06; 95% CI, 0.01–0.15); and by body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and depression was statistically significant (effect=0.05; 95% CI, 0.01–0.11). @*Conclusion@#Individual interventions according to BMI are required to prevent the development of eating disorders in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes require intervention programs that may positively change their attitudes toward themselves, increasing self-esteem and lowering depression.