Teen Obesity, Shame and Depression
Pediatrics Journal has published a study from Sweden that links shame and depression with fat teenagers. It's more proof that picking on fat folks is alive and well - particularly among teens (via Reuters).
Also, obese teens were more likely to say they had been treated in a degrading manner, had been ignored or otherwise had shaming experiences within the past three months than were their normal-weight or overweight peers.Further, adolescents who reported the highest number of shame experiences were more than 11 times more likely to be depressed than those who reported the lowest number of shame experiences, the report indicates.
Like so many studies that try to link cause and effect - there are some real anomalies here.
The association between obesity and major depression disappeared, however, after the researchers took into consideration the adolescents' gender, parental employment, and parental separation, the report indicates.So - does obesity lead to depression, or depression lead to obesity? Personally I think it can be a vicious cycle. You feel bad so you gulp down some junk food - you feel good for a while - but then you feel bad again. After this becomes a habit - the weight comes on - and then you feel bad, and so on, and so on.Teenagers with unemployed parents and those in families in which the parents were separated were more likely to have depressive symptoms than their peers. In fact, these variables predicted major depression among the study group, the researchers note, and were unrelated to the teens' weight.
Once again this highlights the fact that weight loss has as much to do with eating behavior as it does carbs, fats, and proteins.
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I am creating an anthology that links obesity to depression and self esteem, these blog entries will deffinately be included as a debateical essay on the issue. Obesity is linked to depression and self esteem,, criticism can do various things depending on the person its from, My advice for anyone who is fat is to just exercise, and eat right, stop being a wuss, its not hard to lose weight, work your self sweaty every day,,, Jogging is the easiest, dont be a wuss,, just run till u sweat,, thats when ur exercise is done,,, when it comes to eating,, stop eating snacks, pop, and binging,, eat all your meals,, big or small,, but stop snacks and pop, this is how u lose weight.
ReplyThis comment is from 3 girls in a computer class at school, one tiarnie one leah and one tayla.. we think that you are beautiful the way you are! people talk, you might as well give them something good to talk about..
Replyhey, im Lindsay and i used to be kind
of large. I used to weigh about 190 and i was 5-8 or 5-9 , now im 15 and i weigh about 146 and im 5-10 . Now i still have a hard time becoming more social and seeing myself as lighter even though i know iam. sometimes i wish i could move away and meet new people that never knew that i was obese . now i constantly think thats how people see me .
i just want to encourage other teens that there is away to loose weight and to be yourself even though its sometimes the hardest thing in the world. When people are making fun of you , just press on and know who you are.
Replywell I am 16 years old and I weigh 275lbs, I am want to lose weight but I have one problom and that is I am a very picky eater like I dont like fish or vegetables and that makes it very hard for me to lose weight, how should a picky lose weight the healthy way. How much should a 16 year old weigh if she is 5'5.
ReplyAll my life I have been unappy with the way I look. I can remember that my weight issues began around year 3/4. I don't remember ever eating so much, but obviously i did and now my body looks old and used. I truly despise it, and I wish like mad that I could turn back the clock and do it again.
On a happier note, when I was 12/13, I weighed 70 kilos, and I went on a diet, divised by me, controlled by me. I through out the Herbal Life, the books, the magazine articles, and said "right! I'm going to lose weight MY way." I ended up losing 10kg that year, which was amazing, and I try to remember that. I'm now still 60kg and want to lose weight, but being a developing teenager, I know that that's going to be difficult.
My advice is this: If a fad diet works for you, that's great! But if it doesn't, don't flip out. The best diets are the diets made by you, controlled by you, achieved by you. I simply ate less, skipped snacks, and moderated my junk food intake. I've never been one for vegies, but just by limiting the quantity of my food was enough. Also, if you're a teenager, it is really natural to go up and down on the scales. You always gain right before your period, but then you drop again. It's a cycle.
Having said that, I do know what it's like to hate they way you look. Although I'm no longer obiese, I am still unhappy with the way I look, and I know I still have another 10kgs to go until I'm satisfied. I struggle with finding the right clothes, especially JEANS! GAAH! My body is also wrecked, which I will probably never be able to recover from. It's not necersarily my weight that I cry over, it's my body, so yeah.
I apologise for my jump in moods, but that's the way my mind goes when I talk about my weight, and i'm sure you all feel the same way.
I wish everyone the best, and always be strong!
ReplyIm a guy.Im 15. Im 5'9. I am 256 pounds. I have alot of friends. But you have no idea what it feels like to have feelings for someone and then be told off because you were fat. And maybe you do. It's so hard having all these friends that are fit and attractive and have fit and attractive boy/girlfriends. I went to an ice cream store. And i was with family, when i saw this guy who was very cute. So i decided to talk to him. He acted like i wasnt there. I was so crushed. I hate being fat. And all of the people just laughed. Ive tried going anorexic
Replyit doesnt work. I have literally gone 3 days without eating. I have binged and purged. Nothing like that works. You have to live with yourself, even though its hard.
NAMELESS!!!
Replydont go binge or purge or any of that nasty stuff people will NOT like that just as i said to sam go to a club or something all binging does to you is make you depressed!! DO NOT DO IT!
Don't go anorexic.If you read this blog well,it will be helpful to you.Don't mind others,I know it is hard not to mind them,but you have to ignore them.They just insult you and go and forget about it.So nothing happens to them,they live their normal life and you will be obsessed with your look.So ignore them.And you are only 15.That some idiot rejected you doesn't mean everyone will.
ReplyI hate my body, i am about 5'3" and i weigh 150 pounds and i want to get rid of it fast. I am anorexic and I do think I am fat and have low self esteem from being degraded by my family and my peers!
Replyright, well i guess i have read a lot of things about ppl on here and it sounds exactly like me lol, but sometimes i think i am the ONLY one with this situation, I am 15 years old, i am a girl, lol, i am 5'5 and i weigh..298, that is ridiculous, i know, and dont even ask me how i got so friggin big, cuz truthefully i dont effing know, all i know is that i am in love with this guy, his weight doesnt matter but i mineswell tell you he, is a lil on the scrawney side, theres no way that e weighs anything more than say 150, but hes also pretty tall, but n e ways, the thing is is that i want to lose weight..for him, and no he has not said n e thing about it,and no i am not trying to change myself for him, i am trying to change myself for ME if that makes sense lol, i know that he would want me if i was skinny, because countless times ppl have told me that i am very beautiful for a bigger person, im not being conceited but i am pretty, and he thinks so to, but i want to lose weight for ME, bcuz i dont feel comforatable being me right now, i dont feel comforatable in my own body, its pathetic, so im doing this more for me then him, but i know once i am skinny he will want me, but it seems like i give myslef goals, like i did for this summer, i was supposed to lose 50 pds..that never happend,.im just gonna stop eating, and see if that works, and dont tell me how dangerous it is or that it wont work, just let me see if it works, and let me learn from my own mistakes. i am so sick of my life, i have been battling depression on and off since about 5th grade, and its because i am obese.
Replyany suggestions, comments or questions? lol
u can email me if u dont want to post or w.e
XxANxGxELxX@aim.com
Hi I am 3rd year college student who is doing research in to difficalties that obease people face in thier everyday life and facilities which would make life easeyier without singling people out. I particually want to focus on areas where you feel you are discriminated against. Any feedback would be greatly appriciated xxxx
Replyi used to look really terrible when i am obsese and i took great pains to exercise and lose weight but it simply does'nt work that way.trust me!
this is supposedly a really bad method but that's what i do.I take a meal a day, or simply go into starvation mode.or go out to malls and leave cash at home!
helps to burn calories and stop that hunger pangs!
it really works!
ReplyKim, you are right, that is not very healthy. You are destroying your metabolism, so in the long run, you'll only get heavier.
Replyim fat, i ate too much, so now im fat. i love candy, and monster energy drinks. sugar is the main reason i am fat. i also smoke ciggaretts and sit down on the couch and watch jerry springer all day. i cant fit in my car because im so fat. im embarresed to go outside and let people see my fat self. i have so many rolls i could feed an italian restaurant. i suck.
ReplyBecause of ignorant people I was forced to put a guard up, I am a fat teenager, I have alot of friends, a great family, almost everything i could ever ask for, and because I realized that all people are different, some obese, some normal, some skinny, there's nothing wrong with it, unless it's a health risk, I had to result to cursing out people, guys really, becuase they were ignorant, and i never got teased or anything again, everyone looks at fat people as always wanting food, or sensitive, yeah right say something about me, i will fight you, and no not sit on you :P
ReplyI'm 17 years old and have been obese my whole life. I've dieted many times and tried to lose weight. I'm very aware of how serious the problem is. I'm very educated on the subject as well. I was diagnosed with depression when I was in the 5th grade. I've been ignored and picked on my whole entire life. I am 100% positive that there is a link between depression and obesity. Even if obese kids aren't picked on they are ignored and left out. It's an extremely hard thing to deal with. Laura, your message makes me very upset. You're not fat at all. In fact, it makes me upset when girls like you complain about the way you look. You have no idea how many people would kill to be your size. Be comfortable with who you are and what you look like. There's always someone who has things much worse.
Reply:( I know how that feels...
if anyone needs anything IM me on AIM at Clairabellleee.
ReplyI'm not fat. I mean i don't think i am. In fact i wish i was fatter. I don't like being so thin. I have friends who are fat but they are great people. i don't think people were made to look like society says their supposed to look. If we're supposed to look that way, then why did God make us look like this. Everyone is beautiful, but no one is "perfect." And who says we have to be?
ReplyI think it’s ridiculous to say that people chose to be obese because who would actually want to be fat? Being cruel to someone who is obese in no way helps, it just makes them feel worse about themselves. People struggling with weight get caught in an endless cycle of feeling upset or angry causing them to indulge in food and then feeling worse about eating. The extra snickering from people only makes it worse. I agree that teens who try and lose weight after a mean remark are not doing it for themselves but out of hurt which can lead to an eating disorder. In order to loose the weight and keep it off the teen needs to want to do it for his or her health and well being. Getting to this point however might need some encouragement from others to let them know there are friends and family members who care and will be there to support them. By degrading a person never motivates them so rather say something encouraging to help them start to loose the weight.
ReplyShane, Dont look down on your self there are things you can do . you know that, I used to be you. I was always depressed about who i was. then I got to highschool, I joined JROTC becasue I knew they had a vigrous excersize program and that I would have to push myself to keep up with everyone else and I did in 2 school years (freshman to sohphmore) I lost 40 lbs. I still felt like the old me and one morning i woke up and said, Hey I have friends that love me, it doesnt matter if I make anymore Im not cool in anyone elses eyes I'll be cool in my own. So thats what I did I felt awesome because I loved me and everyone else sensed that now i have no problem making friends. I feel good about me no matter what! Ive gained weight back and have been diagonesd with Hasimotos diease. which expalians alot. but now i m being treated and I m losing weight again. Love your self and others will follow. trust me
Replyhi! i'm 15 yr. old and i'm very upset and confused about whether i'm overweight or have normal weight.my friends and family says that i'm normal but then also i feel that i'm overweight. my height is 5'2" and weighing 47kg. i want to know whether my weight is normal. if normal then how can i get rid of my insecurity regarding my figure? please help me!!!!
ReplyYour BMI is 19. You are not only NOT OVERWEIGHT, if you lost any weight you would become underweight. You might want to see a counselor or a psychologist about your disordered body image, because what you think you're seeing in the mirror doesn't seem to be corresponding to reality.
ReplyFor all of you people, who think you are fat and you are only about 150ish pounds, I think you are full of crap. I am 16 years old, 5'2" tall, and I weigh almost 190 pounds. I have tried alot of stuff to try and lose weight, but nothing works for me. I have no idea what to do. Help me.
Replyi found this website frm google, i was looking for some kind of help for fat ppl depression. im 16 [17 in less than 3 weeks] an i weigh....2...8...6....
i DID go thru the period of time where i got teased an picked on for my size but now that im in high skool it doesnt happen TOO much anymore [at least not to my face]
ive tried SO many things to loose weight and none of them have worked...ive been on pills, programs, old fashion working out and eating less more frequently....and now ive resorted to forceing myslef to throw up...it really sucks an i cry every time i do it b/c i dnt want to but i always feel better after..
and teasing big people DOES NOT motivate us to loose weight! at least not for me...wen ever i feel like someone is making fun of me or making little comments thinkin that i dnt kno they are talking about me...it makes me feel bad and make sme come home an eat...
my prom is coming up in about a month an ive been trying to loose weight for it but i didnt succeed. all my frends have dates and they all have dresses and they all are excited i just feel like im going to be the FATTEST girl there...an now im thinking about not going...
does anyone have any tips for me to motivate myself to loose weight?! i wanna dress cute an hip like ive always wanted to but cant because the clothes my size are ugly...i dnt kno how much i wanna loose but i wanna loose alot...and i have 6 months until my SENIOR year in high skool...an i dnt want to be the FAT friend agen!
help plz =(
Replyi am fat. really fat. i have no friends, i cnt see my feet. i wish i could paint my toe nails again, but cant find them =[
ReplyAnyway, I've been "Fat" my whole life. I don't like vegetables, or fish and I'm very picky. I've always been teased for it, and at first I wouldn't do anything except avoid the rude people. Then one day, when I was seven, my mom picked me up from daycare and I got into her car, crying. When she asked me what was wrong, I told her that a boy called me a fat cow.
She knew he had been making fun of me for a long time. So she turned off the car, and led me back inside. She had a little "Talk" with this boy and made him apologize, without physically touching him. My mom stayed there until his mom came to pick him up and had a chat with her too. Needless to say, it changed the way I think about things.
I saw my mom (who was also obese at the time) as the best person in the world, as all little girls do. And if my obese mom was overpowering this little skinny boy to be nice, then maybe I was looking at the world the wrong way. Maybe being obese was right, and being skinny was wrong.
I learned about one year later, that there wasn't anything that defined these rules, but that it was dangerous to your health to be obese. But other than that, I wasn't doing anything wrong. It wasn't the boy's fault either. Its just a common fact of human life. If you're different, people will be curious, and tease you for it.
Now I'm 15, and I'm not so in love with my life as I should be, but I'm not depressed. I don't get teased as much because I've defined myself as a person. If I get picked on by a person excessively because I'm obese, I'll go and have a chat with them like my mom did with that boy so many years ago. I know they say to never refer to violence, but if the teasing keeps on, then you have my personal permission to give them a taste of fist. Or word.
I'm going to work really hard this summer to change my eating habits and exercise more often. I hope I can give some of you the same courage I have gained because of my mother. Good luck to you all!
ReplyHi Anonymous. I really enjoyed your posting.
I'm 54, but when I was 10 there was a girl in our class who was big. We made fun of her. I know it bothered her, but at the time we didn't think much of it. Like you wrote, especially in elementary school, if you're different you're teased for it (I was teased, and one time beaten up, for being different, but it was for other reasons).
A few years ago I went to a high school reunion and ran into this girl. I hadn't seen her since elementary school, because we had separate friends. She was still large - not obese, not skinny, just large. And, she was gorgeous. She had gone into modeling plus sized clothes, and now ran her own clothing store. Indeed, she was one of the best looking people at the reunion - healthy, strong, great fashion, and awesome attitude.
Replyi don't think there's anything that wrong with being fat. I just thing that maybe fat people should try and lose a little weight but people should try and suggest it gently. I don't think I'm overweight, my BMI is 20.45. but I am called fat, well people don't say it. they just give me these horrible looks. i tried eating healthy but it didn't seem to work. so i tried going bulimic for about a week before realizing it was really wrong. so i'm still desperately trying to diet but it's not even working so i keep getting so tempted to throw every thing up.
ReplyI can't even tell anyone without getting laughed at or yelled at.
Everywhere I see people laughing at fat people, but these are the same people who tell me it's okay to be fat. I feel a need to be thin in case my "friends" laugh behind my back like they do to the rest of the world.
I need to lose weight. I know that. But I'm too busy to exercise. Even if I could find the time, I don't know what to do because I don't have a yard and I'm not allowed out of the house alone and I'm embarrassed to let people to know I'm trying to lose weight. Should I become bulimic? I'm not talking about puking my guts out daily but maybe once in a while, like two or three times a week?
ReplyI know it's wrong but will be as bad as being a full time bulimic?
Ok I am 13 years old and 112lbs...and despite what you may think I feel that I am obese. I'm trying really hard to get down to at least 90lbs and then as the counslor says "I will have found my 'comfort zone'" and I know if you're reading this you're probably rolling your eyes at me but, I can't help it I feel LIKE AN ELEPHANT! My boyfriend argues with me, he's only 137lbs though but he's very physically active, I play softball, and want to join track and feild, but my pounds won't leave! Is it just my age?
ReplyOk,
I have been severely overweight/semi-morbidly obese for as loooong as I can remember. I ALWAYS had a belly and my Mom and Sis (who has a different Father) have always been obese/morbidly obese. Our eating habits weren't the greatest and my Mom was/is addicted to Pepsi.
I am grown up, now, aged finely to the number 29 and 2 kids and I've had half my thyroid taken out but never really stayed on my low dose meds like I was supposed to due to lack of funds. After my Son was born (2nd and hopefully last kid) I adopted a healthier way of eating and was/is CONSTANTLY on the move, I mean like ALWAYS!! I don't even bother sitting down anymore (kids are 2 & 4).
For the first time in my whoooole life I am finally under 200 pounds and my belly is almost gone..ALMOST. What does this have to do with teens?
WELL I WISH I KNEW ABOUT BETTER EATING HABITS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE WHEN I WAS A TEEN!!!!! Then again, it very well could have been my thyroid. On another note, I should have had it checked on!!
TEENS:
ReplyCHECK YOUR THYROID
EAT RIGHT
EXERCISE
TRY TO COOL IT ON THE EMOTIONAL EATING AND DRAW OR SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD!!!!
Thats good hannah.I like girls like you ,strong&I really facing the same problem.
Replyyour friend,
Nadeen
Hi guys! My name is Sarah and I am currently doing a paper on being overweight or obese. For some people being obese can be very hard on them, whether they are depressed, are self conscious or have feelings of shame. Where i am trying to go with this, is i do not know anyone that i can personally interview that is overweight or obese. i would like to hear from someones point of few on how obesity leads to depression and self consciousness.. whether you know the person or it is you. You can make it anonymous if you want but If anyone can help me out soon that would be much appreciated.
Replyawwwww Sam i feel so bad for you whenever i hear stories like this i feel bad because i know that its painful to be that way i dont know what all you people are going through because i dont have the same kind of issues. Sam have you tried talking to a councler or someone like that talk to an adult about what those bitches are doing to you seriously i would NOT take that at all!!. ........the reason im at this site is because i am wrighting a paoer on overweight tenns. the point of my topic is to perswade people that being overweight is NOT something to make fun of people for! its like skin cancer you cant exactly help it. its not a pretty thing to look at though. i think that you should ask your mom if you can go to a club for overweight peole or something to try and loose weight. if you even consider this start NOW! because there will be times in your life that you wish you are skinny like maybe everyday, or a bigger thing like prom. people will take you VERY seriously if you lose weight. watch the biggest loser it teaches you A WHOLE lot of thing about overweight people it even shows you how to make 200 calorie dish of chicken wings i hade them and they were to die for like litterally!! so watch it sometime..!! i know that this might sound sort of weird but dont blame me im only 11!!! well thanx a whole bunch for teaching me about how horrible the world can be. someday i will try to stop it!!
ReplyI am a 14 year old intelligant young lady i thank all of you who are actually brave enough to put your suffering stories out there for people to read. Please i plead of you not to blame you large gift on yourself. It is to blame on are ecconomy. The foods we eat arnt only unhealthy but some deadly. i am one who says dont be ashamed of the body god gave you prayer and a little exercise can help everybody and your blessed soul as well.
Reply