The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of body image on the subjective health of adolescents, taking into consideration the modifying factors.

Material and methods: The data were collected in 2008 as part of a postal survey conducted among 605 children born in Poland in January 1995. Self-reported health was analysed in two categories: 1) excellent or very good health; 2) good, fair or poor health. Body image was examined using three variables: self-perception of physical appearance, subjective assessment of body weight and self-body image according to the Body Image Subscale (BIS) by Orbach and Mikulincer. In addition, the impact of twelve other variables was analysed, which were related to: socio-demographic characteristics, physical and psychosocial health and also social relations. The impact of all the fifteen variables on self-rated health was compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results: In the surveyed group, 31.9% of adolescents assessed their health as worse than very good, of which 6.3% considered it fair or poor. Gender, place of residence and body mass index (BMI) had no impact on health self-assessment. The percentage of those who assessed their health as worse than very good, was equal to 48.5% in the group which had a very negative attitude towards their body, and 61.5% in the subgroup which had big reservations about their body image. In the multivariate analysis, the strongest predictor variables for worse health self-assessment were chronic diseases and negative self-body image. The following factors, which can protect young people against worse well-being, were included in the final model: positive thinking, social support and high physical activity.

Conclusions: There exist many factors which influence the self-perceived health in early adolescence, and they may not be classified only as physical ailments. Body image appears to be a very important factor at that age. High physical activity, support from family, peers and neighbours and positive attitude toward themselves are important resources for health which affect adolescents’ well-being.