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

Abstract

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.

Figures

Figure 1

Effect of body weight on the self-perception profile for children’s domain scores of the minority children. (A) scholastic competence; (B) social acceptance; (C) athletic competence; (D) physical appearance; (E) behavioral conduct; and (F) global self-worth. Each domain has six item scores, and is scored either 1, 2, 3 or 4 with 4 representing the most adequate self judgement and 1 representing the least adequate self judgement. Children were considered normal-weight if their BMI values were ≥5th percentile but <85th percentile, overweight if their BMI values were ≥85th percentile but <95th percentile, and obese if their BMI values were ≥95th percentile. Each column represents the estimated mean by generalized linear models after controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity and centers. The cross bar above each column represents the standard error of the estimated mean. Identical letters above columns indicate no significant difference across weight status.