Children with obesity reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and restrictive eating along with lower physical activity and increased screen time, while guilt was positively correlated with emotional eating in both groups but shame was significantly associated with problematic eating patterns only in children without obesity.
Key Findings
Results
Children with obesity reported higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to children without obesity.
Study included 100 children with obesity and 90 children without obesity aged 10-18 years.
Anxiety and depression were measured using the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS).
Comparative analysis was conducted between the two groups to assess emotional and behavioral patterns.
This finding highlights psychological consequences associated with childhood obesity.
Results
Children with obesity demonstrated higher levels of emotional eating and restrictive eating compared to children without obesity.
Eating behaviors were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ).
Both emotional eating and restrictive eating were elevated in the obesity group.
The study included 100 children with obesity and 90 children without obesity.
These differences were identified through comparative analysis between the two groups.
Results
Children with obesity had lower physical activity levels and increased screen time compared to children without obesity.
Physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C).
Screen time was assessed as part of the behavioral evaluation.
The sample consisted of children aged 10-18 years.
Physical activity differences were noted alongside the emotional and eating behavior findings.
Results
Guilt was positively correlated with emotional eating in both children with obesity and children without obesity.
Self-conscious emotions were measured using the Test of Self-Conscious Affect for Adolescents (TOSCA-A).
The positive correlation between guilt and emotional eating was observed across both groups.
This finding suggests guilt's relationship with emotional eating is not specific to obesity status.
Both groups (100 children with obesity, 90 without) showed this association.
Results
Shame was significantly associated with problematic eating patterns only in children without obesity, not in children with obesity.
Shame was assessed using the Test of Self-Conscious Affect for Adolescents (TOSCA-A).
The association between shame and problematic eating patterns was specific to the non-obesity group (n=90).
In children with obesity (n=100), shame did not show a significant association with problematic eating patterns.
This differential pattern suggests the relationship between shame and eating behavior may vary by weight status.
Results
The relationship between physical activity and self-conscious emotions was minimal, with only guilt showing a modest negative association with school-based activity in the control group.
Physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C).
Shame showed no meaningful association with physical activity in either group.
Guilt's negative association with school-based activity was only observed in the control group (children without obesity, n=90).
Overall, the emotional-physical activity relationship was described as 'minimal.'
Caliskan Y, Sutcu Z, Kaplan E. (2026). Exploring the emotional and behavioral dimensions of childhood obesity: the role of shame, guilt, and eating patterns.. Eating and weight disorders : EWD. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-026-01822-y