Life for an obese kid can be just awful. Teasing, rejection, bullying and bias are to blame and researchers are pointing fingers at peers, teachers - and even parents.
A study from Yale University and the University of Hawaii reported in the July issue of Psychological Bulletin reviewed 40 years of research on overweight children and offers perspective on the impact of society's weight bias. One of the more alarming studies, published in 2003 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that when obese children were asked about their physical and psychological well-being and school functioning, their quality of life proved significantly lower than that of non-obese children - and comparable to that of kids with cancer.
Other studies show that parents and family members harbor negative attitudes and stereotypes about obese kids - and that many tease and torment these children about their weight. "Research even suggests that some teachers have lower expectations for their overweight students compared to thinner students," says the study's lead author Rebecca Puhl, Ph.D., of Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
The bias, Puhl says, is socially acceptable in our culture and rarely challenged. "There is a common perception in our society that obesity is an issue of personal willpower or choice, and unfortunately this view contributes to stigma and ignores the very real and complex causes of obesity," she says. And, unlike with racial or gender discrimination, there is no federal legislation to protect the obese from unfair treatment.
What Parents Can Do
Parents, Puhl says, need to be aware of their own attitudes and assumptions about body weight, and should be careful in the language they use to describe their own or other people's weight in front of their child.
What can you do if your child is the victim of teasing or bias because of weight? Puhl offers these suggestions:
• Take the issue seriously. Find out about the severity of the teasing, who is teasing the child, and where it's taking place. "Listen to your child, express empathy," Puhl advises. "It's important for your child to feel supported by you, and that you are approachable to talk to about this situation."
• Offer coping strategies, such as avoiding areas at school where teasing takes place, or sticking close to friends to reduce the risk of being a target.
• Role-play with your child to help him or her practice reacting to and coping with teasing or bias.
"If the situation is ongoing, encourage your child to talk to their teacher or another adult at school," says Puhl. "It's very important that teachers be aware of the issue and intervene."
To find a host of resources on combating weight bias - and on healthy eating - visit the Rudd Center online at www.yaleruddcenter.org.
© Parenthood.com, used with permission.
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The dangers of childhood obesity aren't limited to taunting at school. Diseases once found only in adults are now appearing in obese children. |
Childhood obesity facts are alarming in the United States. Around 12% of children under 19 are obese and facing threats to their long-term health. |
