Comparison of Peer Interaction Self-Efficacy in Obese and Overweight Children with Normal School Age Children in Shiraz City

Overweightness and obesity is significantly increasing in developing countries including Iran. Childhood obesity can affect self-efficacy in various aspects of life including academic achievements and quality of life. The present study was conducted to compare peer interaction self-efficacy of school-aged obese, overweight, and normal children in Shiraz city.
An analytical cross-sectional comparative study was carried out. The sample size consisted of 72 primary school girls and boys (8-12 y) in Shiraz city. The sample was categorized into three groups (normal, overweight, and obese) based on Body Mass Index (BMI). Data were collected using "Children self-efficacy for peer interaction scale" (Wheeler & Ladd) and analyzed in SPSS running ANOVA with the significance level set at
The results showed that there was a meaningful difference between the three groups studied in self-efficacy (P Based on the findings, obesity and lack of self-efficacy are related to each other. The results were congruent with some previous studies. It is suggested that more research be conducted with regard to the general mental health level, IQ, and EQ.