Body weight has no impact on self-esteem of minority children living in inner city, low-income neighborhoods: a cross-sectional study

作者：Wong William W^*; Mikhail Carmen; Ortiz Christina L; Lathan Debra; Moore Louis A; Konzelmann Karen L; Smith E O'Brian

来源：BMC Pediatrics, 2014, 14(1): 19.

DOI：10.1186/1471-2431-14-19

• Self-esteem
• Children
• Minority
• Obesity

Background: The relationship between body weight and self-esteem among underserved minority children is not well documented.
Methods: We measured the self-esteem profile using the Self-Perception Profile for Children among 910 minority children at 17 Houston community centers.
Results: Weight status had no effect on any of the self-esteem scores among the minority children (P >= 0.21). Black children had higher scholastic competence than Hispanic children (P = 0.05). Social acceptance was not affected by age, gender, and race/ethnicity (P >= 0.13). Significant age x gender (P = 0.006) and race x gender (P = 0.005) interactions were detected on athletic competence. The younger boys had higher athletic competence than the younger and older girls (P <= 0.01). The older boys had higher athletic competence than the older girls (P = 0.008) but their scores were not different from those of the younger girls (P = 0.07). Within each race/ethnicity group, boys had higher athletic competence than girls (P <= 0.03). Black boys had higher athletic competence than Hispanic girls (P = 0.007) but their scores were not different from those of the Hispanic boys (P = 0.08). Age and gender had no effect on physical appearance but black children had higher scores than Hispanic children (P = 0.05). Behavioral conduct was not affected by age, gender, or race/ethnicity (P >= 0.11). There was an age x gender interaction on global self-worth (P = 0.02) with boys having similar scores regardless of ages (P = 0.40) or ethnicity (P = 0.98). However, boys from both age groups had higher global self-worth than the older girls (P <= 0.04) but their scores were not different from those of the younger girls (P = 0.07).
Conclusions: For the first time, we documented that being normal weight did not necessarily guarantee positive self-esteem among minority children. Their self-esteem scores were similar to those found among children who were diagnosed with obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities and lower than those reported among normal-weight white children. Therefore, activities to promote self-esteem are important when working with underserved minority children in order to promote a healthy lifestyle.

• 出版日期2014-1-24