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Whether obese adolescents are more likely than nonobese peers to have emotional distress is controversial. To determine whether body dissatisfaction mediates the relation between obesity and emotional well-being, investigators analyzed data from a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 366 boys and 440 girls in Minnesota who were surveyed in early and late adolescence (at mean ages of 13 and 17 years, respectively). At each time point, participants completed measures of body shape satisfaction, self-esteem, and depressive mood. Self-reported and actual heights and weights were measured in early adolescence, but only self-reported height and weight were assessed during late adolescence. Obesity was defined as body-mass index (BMI) ≥95% fo…