Weight-teasing among adolescents: correlations with weight status and disordered eating behaviors

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perceived weight-teasing and associations with unhealthy weightcontrol behaviors and binge eating in a population-based sample of youth. Particular focus was placed on overweight youth, who may be most vulnerable to weight-teasing. METHODS: The study population included 4746 adolescents from St Paul=Minneapolis public schools who completed surveys and anthropometric measurements as part of Project EAT, a population-based study of eating patterns and weight concerns among teens. RESULTS: There were statistically significant associations between perceived weight-teasing and weight status; both overweight and underweight youth reported higher levels of teasing than average weight youth. Very overweight youth (body mass index (BMI) 95th percentile) were most likely to be teased about their weight; 63% of very overweight girls, and 58% of very overweight boys reported being teased by their peers, while weight-teasing by family members was reported by 47% of these girls and 34% of these boys. Youth who were teased about their weight, particularly overweight girls, reported that it bothered them. Perceived weight-teasing was significantly associated with disordered eating behaviors among overweight and nonoverweight girls and boys. For example, among overweight youth, 29% of girls and 18% of boys who experienced frequent weight-teasing reported binge-eating as compared to 16% of girls and 7% of boys who were not teased. CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents, in particular those who are overweight, report being teased about their weight and being bothered by the teasing. Weight-teasing is associated with disordered eating behaviors that may place overweight youth at increased risk for weight gain. Educational interventions and policies are needed to curtail weight-related mistreatment among youth.

Eating Behaviors, Weight Bias, and Psychological Functioning in Multi-ethnic Low-income Adolescents

“…Previous studies have indicated that body dissatisfaction and psychological functioning may contribute to obesity and negative health outcomes (Durso, Latner, & Ciao, 2016;Muennig, Jia, Lee, & Lubetkin, 2008;Wilson, Latner, & Hayashi, 2013). Our data showed no gender differences in WB contrary to other studies, where girls reported more WB than boys (Eisenberg, Neumark-Sztainer, Haines, & Wall, 2006;Neumark-Sztainer et al, 2002). In addition to elucidating gender differences with WB, future researchers should focus on exploring the types of bias and the perceptions and internationalization of bias which may be more crucial than the amount of bias experienced in this population (Lewis et al, 2011).…”

‘Adventure therapy’ combined with cognitive-behavioral treatment for overweight adolescents

“…Furthermore, social functioning has been observed to be an area of difficulty for overweight children and adolescents, 30,31 and social support for eating and exercise was found to be a significant predictor of long-term weight loss in a 10-year follow-up of children treated for obesity. 32 Consequently, an intervention that targets both self-efficacy and social function may have particular benefit for overweight adolescents.…”

Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America

“…1,2 Weight bias occurs from employers, 3,4 health-care professionals, 5-9 educators [10][11][12] and even family members. 13 Its negative implications include impairments in psychological well-being [14][15] and physical health, such as avoiding preventive health-care services, 16 engaging in unhealthy eating patterns 13,[17][18][19] and avoiding physical activity. 18,[20][21][22] Despite evidence of weight bias documented in case studies, experimental work, treatment and convenience samples, limited information is available on the prevalence and patterns of weight discrimination in a nationally representative sample.…”

“…13 Its negative implications include impairments in psychological well-being [14][15] and physical health, such as avoiding preventive health-care services, 16 engaging in unhealthy eating patterns 13,[17][18][19] and avoiding physical activity. 18,[20][21][22] Despite evidence of weight bias documented in case studies, experimental work, treatment and convenience samples, limited information is available on the prevalence and patterns of weight discrimination in a nationally representative sample. Discrimination is distinct from prejudice and beliefs in that it refers to negative, unequal treatment of people because of their membership in a particular group.…”