Weight-based Victimization

           It seems as if bullying these days is becoming the new trend because so many children are made fun of in high school, middle school, and even as early as elementary school. Adolescents can be bullied and tortured by their peers for numerous reasons, and they can be affected negatively -- emotionally and physically. With obesity increasing at an alarming rate, it is only inevitable that children will be victimized more for their weight. According to the article, “Weight-Based Victimization Among Adolescents in the School Setting: Emotional Reactions and Coping Behaviors” written by Rebecca Puhl and Joerg Luedicke, teenagers who are bullied for their weight are more likely to suffer from emotional and eating disorders, have problems in school, and will have a pessimistic and low self-esteem.

            It is no secret that obesity is becoming more of a problem now than ever before. It is very important that children start to take care of their weight at a young age because those good habits will influence them as adults. It is also important because they can develop severe health conditions and can be a victim of bullying. Recent research shows that adolescents observe (and experience) weight-based teasing to be the most common form of bullying at school (Puhl, 28). The victimization that was researched included verbal and physical, but for both types, there are serious consequences for the emotional and physical health for the children being teased. There is evidence that the victims of bullying can potentially be academically affected by showing poorer classroom performance and an increased school avoidance (Puhl & Luedicke, 28).

            Besides for health risks and academic problems, weight-based victimization can also influence eating disorders. Adolescents made fun of for their weight can increase vulnerability, depression, and low self-esteem, which can lead to certain disordering including binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia (Puhl & Luedicke, 29). The authors claim that there is very little information regarding the study of victimizing and its relation to eating disorders so in order to ensure the most accurate results, they set up specific questionnaires to gather data. This data shows different places and the frequency of victimization that occurred in those places; the lunchroom and the locker room being the top two. The data also shows that these adolescents feel badly about their bodies and that they are likely to resort to unhealthy coping behaviors. Girls, more than boys, are affected negatively and result to eating disorders, binge eating being the most prevalent (Puhl & Luedicke, 37).

            In conclusion, bullying has become more and more apparent and can seriously hurt its victims. Bullies that focus on weight- based victimization can lead their victims to feel depressed and unhappy about themselves. Because of this kind of teasing, adolescents will resort to different methods in order to cope. They might try to avoid school, resulting in poor grades and experiences. It is possible that they might also engage in different eating disorders in order to make themselves feel better. Binge eating seems to be the most popular because the teenagers ate more to cover up their upset feelings. It's unfortunate that students are suffering so much because of their struggling weight issues, but there should also be more attention focused on helping these people positively cope instead of negatively.

Work Cited

Puhl, Rebecca M., and Joerg Luedicke. "Weight-Based Victimization Among Adolescents In The School Setting: Emotional Reactions And Coping Behaviors." Journal Of Youth And Adolescence 41.1 (2012): 27-40. ERIC. Web. 23 Feb. 2012.