Four new studies indicate that being overweight negatively affects the mental health of children and teenagers.
- A study from the University of Minnesota found that overweight children who were teased about their bodies were two or three times more likely to think about or try to commit suicide. The effect was worse for girls, in that 50 percent had thought about suicide (compared to 34 percent of boys) and 25 percent of girls had attempted suicide (compared to 12 percent of boys). The children in the study suffered from depression, poor body images and low self-esteem.
- The second study from the University of Alberta in Canada looked at how being overweight affects self-esteem and school performance.
Dr. Paul Veugelers assembled data on 4,298 fifth grade children, including their scores on standardized tests, heights and weights, and measurements of self-esteem. He found that children who were overweight had lower self-esteem, but doing well in school could help them feel better about themselves, Children who steered away from junk food and ate sufficient amounts of fruit, vegetables, protein, and fiber were significantly more likely to perform well on literacy tests.
Dr. Veugelers actively campaigns for school and government interventions to help overweight Canadian children. His latest study appears in the journal Obesity Review. - White and Hispanic teenagers who are obese or overweight are more likely to be anxious and depressed, according to published in the journal Pediatrics. The effect did not hold for overweight African-American teenagers.
Dr. Rhonda BeLue and her colleagues at Pennsylvania State University went through public health records of more than 35,184 people ages 12 to 19 years old. She said that her findings indicate that doctors should assess not only a teenager's weight problems, but also mental health issues.
Dr. BeLue was not sure why African-American teens are not as bothered by being overweight, but she speculated that they might be dealing with "a constellation" of other stresses or simply be under less pressure from family and friends to be thin. - Finally, a study from RMIT University found that obese 10 to 13 year-olds find it hard to concentrate, hard to sleep, and had problems with back pain and lower leg pains. Lead researcher Lara Taylor said obese children were overall more weak and tired, and struggled with ordinary movements such as getting up from chairs, compared to children of normal weight.
Labels: mental_health, depression, body_image
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
