Body Surveillance, Perceived Stress and Global Self-esteem among Obese Individuals.

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between body surveillance, perceived stress, and 
global self-esteem among obese individuals. A correlational research design was used, with a 
total sample size of N=150 obese individuals, including (n=99) women and (n=51) men. Data 
was gathered from different gyms and residential area of Dera Ismail Khan using purposive 
sampling techniques. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and 
Objectified Body Consciousness Scales were used.  The Pearson correlational coefficient, 
simple linear regression, and independent sample t-tests were used to assess the hypotheses. 
The results showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between body 
surveillance and perceived stress, as well as a significant negative correlation between body 
surveillance and global self-esteem. Furthermore, simple linear regression analysis revealed 
that body surveillance predicted 18% of the variance in perceived stress and 28% of the 
variance in global self-esteem. However, an independent-sample t-test revealed that married 
obese individuals reported significantly higher levels of body surveillance compared to those 
who were unmarried. The study has important practical implications, suggesting that 
treatment approaches for obese individuals should incorporate interventions for obese 
individuals should move beyond weight loss to include body neutrality and self-compassion 
training to mitigate the psychological impact of constant body surveillance.