a vicious circle of anxiety and depression

Research done in the United Kingdom shows that children who suffer from anxiety and lowered self esteem are likely to grow up having problems with their weight.

The research which was published in the journal BMC Medicine examined the emotional health of children from 1970 and has been making note of their weight at regular intervals.  The study showed a clear correlation between those children who had low self esteem, who felt that they were not in control of their lives and those who were always worried and concerned with significantly higher weight problems between the ages of 10 and 30. The other observation which they made was that link between emotional health and weight was far more significant in girls compared to boys.

Unfortunately when children put on weight it impacts even more on their self-esteem creating a vicious circle of anxiety and depression. Overweight children and adults often feel that they are unable to do anything about their weight problem which further undermines their confidence. Parents should take note of this research and try not to give unhealthy fatty food to their children when they are upset or anxious because it could create a psychological dependence. For example if your child is upset about something at school maybe you shouldn’t take him or her to McDonald’s or Burger King to compensate because over time this may foster an unhealthy psychological link between mood and unhealthy food.

Parents should also know that eating habits are formed at a young age and that it is essential that children are trained to eat healthily before they become teenagers. If you reach your teen years suffering from obesity the chances are you’ll stay that way for the rest of your life. Parents should also be aware of research which shows that leading by example is the most powerful message that they can send to their children with regard to diet, lifestyle and exercise.