Overweight and Obese Children have more Problems with Their Peers

Heavier Children are more likely to Face Social and Emotional Problems as They Grow Up

We have often seen that obese individuals are on the receiving end of nasty comments in a social gathering. Leaner individuals often crack a joke at their expense and they are more likely to be a subject for ridicule. However, have you ever wondered what kind of treatment may be meted out to obese and overweight children? An important Australian study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that heavier children are more likely to face social and emotional problems as they grow up. They are more likely to be bullied by their peers and are likely to struggle in their social relationships as early as when they are eight to nine years old.
 
The study was taken up to find the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and quality of life of young children. A total of 3363 children participated in the study. Their parents and teachers were interviewed, first when the children were four to five years of age, and again after four years. They were questioned regarding the children’s mental and behavioral health and whether they were suffering from any emotional problems, hyperactivity or inadequate social skills. The BMI of the children was also measured.
 

It was seen that at the ages four and five, 13 percent of boys and 16 percent of girls were overweight or obese. Similarly, 4.5 percent boys and 5.2 percent girls were obese or overweight. It was found that even those children whose BMI was just 1.6 points more than that of most their peers faced isolation and teasing at a later stage of life.

The Stigma of being Overweight makes the Children withdraw themselves from Social Activities

By the time these children were eight to nine years old, they had difficulty in engaging in social interactions with their peers. The overweighht children were 15 percent more likely to receive an evaluation of “concerning” regarding their social interactions. Similarly, the overweight or obese kids were 20 times more likely to get an evaluation of “concerning” on the scale of emotional development. The stigma of being overweight makes the children withdraw themselves from social activities. They are afraid of being teased by fellow kids. Teachers often report childhood emotional problems in such children.

According to Michael Sawyer, a professor at the University of Adelaide and the lead author of the study, the quality of the social relationships that overweight and obese children enjoy with their peers at this young age has a profound effect on their mental health as they grow up. If they are overweight and are bullied as a result, children tend to isolate themselves from social activities, which would include the sports activities that would help promote physical health in this group of kids. Such children are more prone to develop mental illnesses like anxiety or depression later on when they grow up.

The study however, did not find any relationship between being overweight or obese in childhood and the likelihood of developing hyperactivity or other conduct disorders. The researchers of the study intend to follow up these children further, to find association of childhood obesity with other mental illnesses in the future.

The results of the study support the idea of taking weight at an early age, into consideration when it comes to health care providers providing mental health counseling to adults. Preventive steps need to be taken at the earliest possible stage of childhood itself to prevent overweight and obese children from suffering from bullying, which can lead to severe mental health problems. 

While overweight and obesity both increase the risk of several other serious health complications and children who are overweight should receive support to be healthy and fit, it is important that encouraging children to lose weight is far from the only step that can be taken to prevent bullying. Education should be provided to all children about the detrimental effects of bullying, and prejudiices tackled.