Teens who like their bodies also like themselves, according to a new study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"For many teenagers, how they feel about their bodies and how they feel about themselves are nearly identical," Dr. Eliana Perrin, author of the study, said in her presentation at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting May 5.

Dr. Perrin surveyed 1000 students in seventh and eighth grade about issues like self-esteem, depression, self-perceived attractiveness, athleticism, media exposure, ethnic identification, and desire to lose weight. The only exception to the rule of "high body satisfaction is linked to high self-esteem" occurred among African-American boys, who seemed to be able to separate the two factors.

Teens with low self-esteem often lash out at family and authority figures in frustration with themselves. Learn more about troubled teens and find help for parents of troubled teens at ByParents-forParents.com.

Labels: body_image, depression, self-esteem