Tenn Psych

It only seems natural to consider the psychological effects of teen obesity and how it is affecting our youth. Not too long ago it would be unheard of to be having this discussion. The child obesity issue worldwide has received so much attention it seems appropriate to consider what is going on in their head. How is their weight issue effecting them emotionally? It’s what we don’t see in our children that is of most concern. We can easily see their day to day routines but what underlining psychological effects of teen obesity don’t we see?

It has been perceived that young children who are obese will grow out of it or they are just carrying “baby fat”. In some cases this is true and they do grow out of it, but what if they don’t. It’s a known fact that kids can be mean and bully. Children who are teased about their weight are more apt to have poor body image, low self-esteem, and symptoms of depression. Everyone wants to have friends but sometimes the obese teen feels isolated and lonely. Their self esteem is low and they use food as their comfort zone, which is usually high in fat, sugar, and calories. The isolation makes them less active so exercise is compromised. Because of peer pressure the read more »

As you are no doubt aware, the obesity epidemic is dangerously high and is growing rapidly across the western world. Not only does this affect adults but there is a growing rate of obesity amongst children. It is estimated that approximately one third of kids aged between 2 and 18 are either overweight or obese.

Teens who are overweight or obese suffer from many issues on top of the obvious physical problems. In fact, their weight problem is often minimal in comparison to the abuse and emotional torment inflicted on them by their peers or by siblings. Add to this the low opinion they have of themselves and it is easy to see why there is a large percentage of them suffering from depression.

A relatively large percentage of overweight teenage girls are clinically depressed due to a preoccupation with their weight and their desire to be slim. Media portrayal of stick thin models and celebrities does nothing to alleviate their mental torment. Many of these girls aspire to become just like these women portrayed in the media.

Many of these young people have an inferior quality of life through depression, isolation, and poor self esteem. These issues alone can lead to behavioral problems in a bid to be accepted. Many will fail to be accepted into higher education and are more likely to be in the lower socioeconomic population. read more »