Help! The Impact Of Childhood Obesity On Mental Health – ShapeDown
A child’s health suffers when they are overweight, as you know. Did you realize that being overweight and obese has adverse effects on children’s brain development? The risk of anxiety in adulthood is three times higher for children who are overweight or obese than for children of average weight.
Adverse health outcomes from childhood obesity are long-lasting and widespread, making it one of the most pressing public health issues of the 21st century. It is predicted that over 42 million adolescents aged five years are overweight or obese, and that number is expected to rise to an astounding 70 million by 2025 if current statistics maintain.
The effects of obesity on one’s mental health are also crucial. Sleep problems, anxiety, despair, and low self-esteem are only some of the adverse outcomes of childhood obesity. An obese child might be discouraged from engaging in extracurricular activities and make even mundane tasks like cleaning up the house seem like a hassle.
Risk Factors Of Childhood Obesity
Risk Factors Of Childhood Obesity – ShapeDown
Obesity has a complicated etiology, including multiple factors, one of which may be disturbed sleep patterns. Studies in adult and pediatric/adolescent populations have linked sleep disorders and lousy sleep time to an increased risk of becoming overweight.
Infant and adolescent obesity are related to lower sleep metrics and significant psychological and social load. Researchers have observed that overweight children and adolescents are more likely to have mental health issues associated with despair and anxiety.
Because of this, a fat kid could feel alone and out of place. Perhaps he feels odd and alone because of his perceived differences. They will have trouble making friends and will generally feel isolated.
When this continues regularly (month after month, season after season), they may develop clinical depression and start isolating themself as a result. There are several other mental disorders interlinked with it.
Problems with behavior, hyperactivity, inattention and peer relationships are more prevalent among obese children than normal-weight children. So it is always recommended to keep an eye on the weight status of your kids. z
Higher Levels of Depression
Higher Levels of Depression – ShapeDown
Overweight and obese youth suffer from depression considerably tougher during middle school than their slimmer peers. Tweens are hyper-focused on the opinions of adults and their classmates.
Overweight and obese children tend to get more unfavorable comments from their peers than their average-weight peers, a sad reality that has been documented.
Positive peer relationships are crucial to a tween’s mental health because of the growing importance of this age group’s peer group. This may explain why researchers have shown that overweight children and adolescents are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms.
Self-Esteem Issues
Self-Esteem Issues – ShapeDown
Having an overweight child is more than just a health issue. Compared to younger children, teenagers have a heightened awareness of their appearance and social standing.
Social comparisons are often based on seemingly minor details like weight, height, and one’s choice of dress. Overweight and obese children may feel isolated from their slimmer friends.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, studies have shown that overweight children and adolescents have lower levels of self-esteem than their average-weight classmates. Researchers observed that overweight children aged 9-12 suffered from low self-worth that extended far beyond their weight.
Childhood overweight adolescents are considered among their typical weight peers as being less healthy, eating poorly, and exercising considerably less. Thus, overweight preteens aren’t just self-conscious about their weight; they’re also unhappy with other aspects of their lives, such as their social lives.
Body Dissatisfaction
Body Dissatisfaction – ShapeDown
Studies have shown that men of all ages are more content with their bodies than women. Males are urged to be both slender and robust, whereas ladies are just expected to be skinny. This discrepancy may be a result of Westernized cultural ideas of beauty.
Thus, girls’ discontent with their bodies increases linearly with their body mass index, but boys’ dissatisfaction appears to be U-shaped, with the highest levels at the lowest and highest BMIs.
Eating Disorder Symptoms
Eating Disorder Symptoms – ShapeDown
Characteristics of eating disordered individuals are prevalent among overweight adolescents, especially among girls. Research shows that obese children and adolescents are more likely to struggle with eating disorders like binge eating, anorexia, and poor impulse control.
Signs and Symptoms of Emotional Distress
As they may suggest mental distress, keep an eye out for these symptoms in an overweight child or adolescent.
Lack of enthusiasm or interest in previously enjoyed activities and hesitation in engaging in new ones may indicate that your child is struggling.
Your kid seems more depressed, lonely, angry, or distant than usual
Your kid is socially isolated
If your child: Is thinking of self-injury or the infliction of harm on others
The child is either getting too much or too little sleep
Your youngster exhibits reluctance toward attending school.
The Role Of Parents
The Role Of Parents – ShapeDown
When it comes to preventing and treating childhood and teenage obesity, the responsibility of parents cannot be overstated. Particularly crucial are the following parental duties:
Providing a positive example
Establishing boundaries
Stocking the home with nutritious foods
Maintaining regular family rituals (such as sitting down to meals and working out together)
Managing time and resources efficiently, and
Minimizing the emotional fallout from a divorce or separation.
Young people are more likely to gain weight if they do not have a consistent daily routine, limits, boundaries, and close adult supervision. Children with no siblings are more likely to be overweight for reasons that are not fully understood.
Theoretically, an only kid may overeat due to boredom or loneliness or because their parents may treat them more like adults by offering larger quantities or spending too much time in front of the television.
When parents put too much pressure on their children to perform at a certain level in a specific sport, the youngster may dislike physical activity and sports. They may become less active overall and give up on PA if they experience “burnout” or lose interest.
The Bottom Line
Sleep problems, anxiety, despair, and low self-esteem are only some of the adverse outcomes of childhood obesity. Being overweight might discourage children from engaging in extracurricular activities and even doing everyday things.
When children are harassed, they become a target themselves. Because of their weight, many youngsters will be the target of bullying and teasing. Self-esteem is weighed down by the pressure to achieve a target weight, and striving for it can make a person depressed.
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