If children get teased about their weight at school, they are more likely develop negative feelings about their bodies. This negative body image can, in turn, lead to disordered eating and related mental health issues, according to a new study from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
- Dr. Timothy Nelson studied hundreds of children whose average age was 11 years old
- Dr. Nelson compared his subjects' actual heights and weights with their perceptions of their bodies.
- If children were teased and criticized by peers, they were more likely to be less satisfied with the size of their bodies and to judge their physical selves more harshly.
"Weight-related criticism is one of the last socially acceptable forms of criticism," Dr. Nelson said. "There's often a sense that overweight people 'deserve' it or if they are prodded about their weight, they'll do something about it. Our research suggests that this kind of criticism tends to increase the victim's dissatisfaction, which has shown to be a factor in poorer outcomes with pediatric weight management programs. It becomes something of a vicious cycle."
This study appears in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
Labels: body image, emotions, schools
Posted By: Jane St. Clair