BACKGROUND: Although @entity28 may have detrimental consequences for childhood self-esteem, the prevalence and magnitude of this problem is controversial. In addition, the social and emotional effects of decreased self-esteem in @entity28 @entity1 are unknown. METHODS: A total of 1520 @entity1 , 9 to 10 years of age, born to mothers in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were studied. Comprehensive demographic data including race and family income were available in 97% of the cohort. Self-esteem was measured using Self-Perception Profile for @entity1 . The 4-year follow-up Self-Perception Profile for @entity1 scores were available in 79% of the @entity1 . Obesity was defined as a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile for age and gender. Additional data include a self-administered questionnaire at 13 to 14 years of age concerning emotional well being, smoking, and @entity167 consumption. Data were stratified by race and gender. The data were weighted to reflect a nationally representative sample of @entity1 born to mothers 17 to 28 years of age. RESULTS: Scholastic and global self-esteem scores were not significantly different among 9- to 10-year-old @entity28 and nonobese @entity1 . However, over the 4-year period, @entity28 Hispanic females and @entity28 white females showed significantly decreased levels of global self-esteem compared with nonobese Hispanic females and nonobese white females, respectively. Mild decreases in self-esteem also were observed in @entity28 @entity1 compared with nonobese @entity1 . As a result, by 13 to 14 years of age, significantly lower levels of self-esteem were observed in @entity28 @entity1 , @entity28 Hispanic @entity1 , and @entity28 white @entity1 compared with their nonobese counterparts. Decreasing levels of self-esteem in @entity28 @entity1 were associated with significantly increased rates of sadness, loneliness, and nervousness compared with @entity28 @entity1 whose self-esteem increased or remained unchanged. In addition, @entity28 @entity1 with decreasing levels of self-esteem over the 4-year period were more likely to smoke and drink @entity167 compared with @entity28 @entity1 whose self-esteem increased or remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Obese Hispanic and white females demonstrate significantly lower levels of self-esteem by early adolescence. In addition, @entity28 @entity1 with decreasing levels of self-esteem demonstrate significantly higher rates of sadness, loneliness, and nervousness and are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors such as smoking or consuming @entity167 .

XXXX and self-esteem.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'Children', 'girls', 'boys'] @entity167 :: ('CHEBI:16236', 'Chemical') :: ['alcohol'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['childhood obesity', 'obese']
@entity28 :: (MESH:D009765,Disease) :: ['Childhood obesity']
