Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

As the United States and other nations continues the fight against childhood obesity, the health consequences associated with being overweight or obese are widely publicized. Getting less attention, however, are the damaging psychological effects obesity can have on kids.

Dr. Margaret Lewin, the medical director of Cinergy Health, addressed this topic in a Feb. 19 article on HealthNewsDigest.com:

LJ Griffiths' study of children at age 7 1/2 showed that obesity predicts a higher likelihood of bullying (boys -- presumably because of their physical dominance in their peer group) or being bullied (both sexes) than normal weight (or even moderately overweight) children.

Overweight girls are especially stigmatized when it comes to dating. In a study of adolescents, only 12 percent of the students had dated someone who was overweight, with only 8 percent of boys dating overweight peers.

Formal studies suggest a relationship between self-esteem and health. Whether obese or not, adolescents with poor self-esteem are more likely to engage in early sex, less likely to use birth control, have higher rates of teen pregnancies, are more likely to use tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs, and to attempt suicide.

Obesity can also lead teenagers into binge-eating, sometimes purging as well. In 2007, a study reported a 20 year research of obese adolescents in upstate New York. They found that obese girls were nearly four times more likely than normal weight girls to suffer major depression and anxiety disorders as adults.

Labels: self_esteem, mental_health

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A new study from Finland has found an association in boys between having mental health problems as children and becoming obese an adults.

• The Finnish researchers studied 2946 boys who were eight years old in 1989, and then looked at data from their military examinations when they were between the ages of 18 and 23 years old.
  
• Underweight boys (182) were not included, leaving 2,209 participants.
  
• The males who were overweight or in the top percentile for mental health problems were the ones most likely to be obese as adults.
  
• The mental health problems included in the study were depression, conduct problems, and emotional problems, but not hyperactivity.

"Future studies should address the potential for interventions to reduce obesity risk in young adulthood for boys who manifest conduct problems early in life," the research team wrote in its report in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: mental_health, boys, conduct disorders

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Children who live in stressful homes have double the risk of obesity, according to a new Swedish study.

Researchers from Linkping University assessed the stress levels of 7,443 families by evaluating disruptive life events such as family accidents, sickness, divorce, unemployment, violence, or death. They also counted stressors such as marital and parenting problems, lack of social networks, and concerns about children's health and development.

The study began when the children were infants. When it ended five years later, the researchers noted that the obesity rate of the children from high-stress families was double the rate of those whose families had fewer stressful incidents.

Lead author Felix-Sebastian Koch said that stress is not the only factor involved in childhood obesity, and that it probably interacts with other factors, especially if stress levels become too great for a family to handle.

This study appears in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Labels: mental_health, stress, sickness

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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.

This study was part of a national analysis called Overweight, Obesity and Function.

Labels: mental_health, depression, body_image

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A British study has found that teenagers who are overweight or obese are more likely to have considered suicide than those who are at a healthy weight. The study, which was conducted through the University of Liverpool, involved a survey of 799 students of various weights.

"A linear relationship existed between suicidal ideal and BMI, with overweight and obese adolescents experiencing the highest rates of 26.8 percent - more than twice the average prevalence for the entire group."

The study also found that teenagers who had high suicidal risks also scored higher on the Eating Disorders Inventory - showing they're also at greater risk of developing eating disorders. Source: MediLexicon News

Labels: overweight, mental_health, suicide

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The health risks of obesity are well-known and are at the heart of the current battle against childhood obesity. But a new study suggests that heavy adults are also at greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders.

"Using data from a national health survey of more than 40,000 Americans, researchers found that obese adults were up to twice as likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions as normal-weight adults."

Researchers are unclear exactly what the link is between obesity and psychiatric disorders, but the use of psychiatric drugs - which can cause weight gain - was not a factor.

Labels: mental_health, adults, psychiatric_disorders

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If your overweight child seems to be overly sensitive to anticipated rejection from others due to her appearance, beware. When self-worth is based entirely upon appearance, it's harmful for both mental and physical health, according to new research by Lora Park, Ph.D., a University at Buffalo psychologist. Sensitivity to rejection can lead to development of excessive dieting, compulsive exercising, binging and purgingas well as lowered self-esteem.

The good news is that you can do something to reduce the damaging effects of thinking negatively about appearance by reminding your child of her personal strengths. Daily affirmations of personal strengths help people cope with insecurities regarding appearance, says Park.

Another intervention that helps, according to Parks' research, is reminders that there are those who care. Reminding your child that many people love him can improve self-esteem and minimize sensitivity to rejection.

Labels: mental_health, physical_health, rejection

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