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

OBJECTIVES:: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perceived weight-teasing and associations with unhealthy weight-control 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::...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Obesity 2002-01, Vol.26 (1), p.123-131
Main Authors: NEUMARK-SZTAINER, D, FALKNER, N, STORY, M, PERRY, C, HANNAN, P. J, MULERT, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding
Binge eating
Biological and medical sciences
Body image
Children & youth
Consent
Eating behavior
Eating behavior disorders
Environment. Living conditions
Epidemiology
Girls
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Obesity
Overweight
Population-based studies
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
School districts
Self image
Stigma
Teenagers
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Summary:OBJECTIVES:: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perceived weight-teasing and associations with unhealthy weight-control 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 non-overweight 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. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY: (2002) 26, 123-131. DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801853
ISSN:0307-0565
1476-5497
DOI:10.1038/sj.ijo.0801853