Since so many children are overweight, does this mean that heavy children are less likely to be bullied and teased at school? The answer is no, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.
- Prof. Julie Lumeng and her colleagues at the University of Michigan analyzed bullying incidents among 821 children ages 8 to 11 years old.
- The researchers assessed the children in third, fifth and sixth grades.
- Overweight children were much more likely to be bullied, regardless of their gender, race, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, social skills, or school demographic profile.
"This study speaks to the deep prejudice against children who are obese," said Dr. Lumeng. "They are viewed as lazy and lacking self-control, although we know the reasons for obesity are so much more complex than that. ... No matter how much we retested, the findings were very robust. Obese kids are more likely to be bullied."
Previous studies have shown that overweight children who experienced bullying are more likely to experience depression and anxiety.
Labels: depression, anxiety, bullies
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
