Written by Jamie Stowe| Tuesday, 20 September 2011| There is 1 comment
were 20% more likely to have problems with relationships
A huge study involving over 3,300 Australian children over a four year period shows that obesity is the cause of many of them becoming socially isolated by the time they reach the ages of eight and nine. The researchers also showed that even by the ages of four and five children were being categorized by their body weight.
The four year study involved detailed measurements of the participating childrens heights and weights and parents and teachers were subjected to detailed questionnaires which examined the quality of life of the children and any psychological problems they might be experiencing.
The results of the study showed that children who were obese at the age of four and five were 20% more likely to have problems with relationships with other children by the ages of eight and nine when compared to the normal weight children.
The parents and teachers reported that the obese children often had trouble making friends, were teased, experienced rejection more often and were often not included in birthday parties and other school activities.
The researchers took into account other things which could influence the social functioning results such as the education levels of parents and their mental health, socioeconomic factors and even the spoken language at home, but still they concluded that obesity was a significant influencing factor in social isolation.
Other studies have shown that older children and teenagers suffer from social isolation as a result of their weight but this study is interesting because it shows that the problem is apparent even at a very young age.
The study which was led by Professor Michael G. Sawyer who heads the Research and Evaluation Unit at the Womens and Childrens Hospital at the University of Adelaide should make parents sit up and think about the weight of their children. He said that obesity had a negative impact on the mental health of children by making them feel left out and also by being the target of critical and negative attitudes.
