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Teasing, depression and unhealthy weight control behaviour in obese children
Author(s) -
Madowitz J.,
Knatz S.,
Maginot T.,
Crow S. J.,
Boutelle K. N.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pediatric obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.226
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 2047-6310
pISSN - 2047-6302
DOI - 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00078.x
Subject(s) - overweight , depression (economics) , body mass index , medicine , feeling , obesity , childhood obesity , clinical psychology , demography , developmental psychology , psychology , social psychology , pathology , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
SummaryWhat is already known about this subject Overweight children are teased more than normal weight children. Weight‐related teasing can come from a variety of sources. Weight‐related teasing is associated with depression and disordered eating.What this study adds Overweight children who experience peer teasing have higher levels of depression and unhealthy weight control behaviours than those who are not teased by peers. Overweight children who are bothered by weight‐related teasing have higher levels of depression than those who are not bothered by weight‐related teasing.Background Data were taken from 80 obese children (mean age = 10.03 years; mean body mass index = 27.37; %white = 29.37%; %female = 58.8%). Self‐report surveys were used to collect data on rates of depressive symptoms, unhealthy weight control behaviours ( UWCB s), teasing, sources of teasing and how much the teasing bothered the child. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate relationships between weight‐related teasing and UWCBs and depression in obese children. Teasing by peers and/or family, negative feelings due to teasing, frequency of teasing, and number of teasing sources reported and associations with UWCB s and depression were analysed. Methods Logistical and linear regressions were used to evaluate relationships between the teasing variables, depression and UWCB s, controlling for age and gender. Results Results indicated that children teased by other children have significantly higher levels of depression ( B = 6.1 [ SE = 2.3]) and are five times more likely to engage in UWCB s ( OR = 5.1 [ CI = 1.5–17.4]). Children who endorsed that teasing by peers bothered them had significantly higher levels of depression ( B = 2.3 [ SE = 0.8]). The frequency of weight‐related teasing was significantly associated with depression ( B = 2.5 [ SE = 0.8]), as was the number of teasing sources ( B = 4.6 [ SE = 1.5]). No significant relationships were found between familial teasing and depression or UWCB s. Conclusions Weight‐related teasing, especially by other children, was associated with negative psychosocial measures in these obese children. Interventions are needed to reduce teasing, and longitudinal studies are recommended to understand the impact of teasing over time.