Depressive Symptoms, Ethnic Identity, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Obese Youth.

Objective: Examine relations between depressive symptoms, ethnic identity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in overweight or obese (OV/OB) children.
Methods: A total of 166 OV/OB 8- to 17-year-olds (M = 12.94 years; 86.7% obese; 50.6% racial/ethnic minority) attending an outpatient pediatric obesity medical clinic participated. Children completed the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory.
Results: Increased depressive symptoms significantly predicted reduced total, physical, and psychosocial HRQOL. For minority OV/OB youth only, MEIM Affirmation/Belonging moderated depressive symptoms and total HRQOL (effect = -2.59, t = -2.24, p = .027; R(2) overall model = 0.315) and depressive symptoms and psychosocial HRQOL (effect = -3.01, t = -2.47, p = .015; R(2) overall model = 0.331).
Conclusions: Depressive symptoms are negatively associated with HRQOL. In minority OV/OB youth, high ethnic identity may be protective when depressive symptoms are minimal. Ethnic identity and other cultural factors are important to consider in psychosocial treatments for pediatric obesity.
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