Teasing Can Cause Binge Eating - ThinnerTimes

Gladitsme · 03-03-2006, 01:34 PM

Well Being
Teasing Can Cause Binge Eating

Friday, March 3, 2006 Bullying and teasing can be deeply traumatic experiences, both physically and emotionally. In a new study of children's emotional health, researchers found that children who are specifically targeted for teasing about their bodies are significantly more likely to turn to binging and emotional eating, setting themselves up for a lifetime of unhealthy habits. Researchers interviewed more than 2,500 middle- and high school students nationwide, following up five years later with the interview subjects. Overall, 23% of girls and 21% of boys reported weight-based teasing from peers. Those who were victimized by such teasing were 80% more likely to have also engaged in binge eating of junk foods. In addition, teased kids were more likely to have fallen into cycles of yo-yo dieting five years later. Researchers emphasized the importance of their findings to parents and educators, who are uniquely positioned to catch the warning signs of body image and weight disorders.

Pokey757 · 03-03-2006, 03:05 PM

Well that explains a lot! I must have has a bullseye on my ars all throughout Middle School!

But I am learning to put it all behind me. Who woulda thunk it would stick around tho for 30 some odd years. But then again it was a pretty tramatic experience, enough for a suicide attempt at age 13. But one must let go of the pain sometime

Baron Patrick · 03-03-2006, 03:12 PM

Hell;

They didn't have to spend all that time and money - all they had to do was ask me!

Gladitsme · 03-03-2006, 03:56 PM

I thought it was interesting to have personal experience validated.

ValenP · 03-03-2006, 05:47 PM

Boy, now we all know why !!! I got picked on and teased since I was 7 years old
this somehow explains everything.

coptergirl · 03-03-2006, 05:50 PM

I was picked on too - those rat bastard little kids I went to school with!!!

Groovey kinda Love · 03-05-2006, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loser2be

Well Being
Teasing Can Cause Binge Eating

Friday, March 3, 2006 Bullying and teasing can be deeply traumatic experiences, both physically and emotionally. In a new study of children's emotional health, researchers found that children who are specifically targeted for teasing about their bodies are significantly more likely to turn to binging and emotional eating, setting themselves up for a lifetime of unhealthy habits. Researchers interviewed more than 2,500 middle- and high school students nationwide, following up five years later with the interview subjects. Overall, 23% of girls and 21% of boys reported weight-based teasing from peers. Those who were victimized by such teasing were 80% more likely to have also engaged in binge eating of junk foods. In addition, teased kids were more likely to have fallen into cycles of yo-yo dieting five years later. Researchers emphasized the importance of their findings to parents and educators, who are uniquely positioned to catch the warning signs of body image and weight disorders.

nancy, you said a mouth full!!! I was the kid no one liked, I was picked on daily.... it got so bad that the kids started waiting for me after school to beat me up. When I was in the 3rd grade they used to tell the teachers lies to get me into trouble, I would get hit with her paddle and then she would take me to the principles office almost daily and I would get hit again at least three hits each time. The kids thought it was funny but what they didn't know what they were killing my inner person. I am over it now, but it took a long time and a lot of bitterness to deal with before I even started seeing the light at the end of my dark tunnel. It wasn't until my Junior year of high school that the kids started treating me like a normal kid. That was when I started sticking up for myself as well. I have a real problem with kids who bully others. The old saying "sticks and stone may break my bones but names will never hurt me is false!!! names do hurt!!!

Gina in NY · 03-05-2006, 07:14 AM

Not only did I deal with it as a kid, my son is fighting this battle right now. I will say that his school is very sensitive to the whole bullying issue (most are now). Also my son, who is 10, is almost 5 feet tall and looks like a football player, so though he does get teased about his weight, he doesn't get physically intimidated, which makes a big difference. But I'm on the phone every week or so, reporting another incident. Happily, I know the jerks who pick on him are getting into big trouble. One kid even spit in his hair, but he was suspended for three days and has been quiet as a mouse ever since.

I hope the schools in your area are getting as proactive as ours. I think if kids report problems, they are dealt with much more seriously than they used to. Of course it took how many school shootings to wake them up??

sweetnlowe · 03-05-2006, 12:10 PM

It's so weird how much I just accepted in middle school. A kid spit in my hair, but I never would have even considered telling my parents. I never told them about the names I was called, or anything like that. I guess burying it will catch up with me sometime, but I'm glad kids are being more verbal about their problems. It's a way of dealing with them immediately rather than harboring them and letting them haunt us grown-up peoples.

Gladitsme · 03-06-2006, 11:27 AM

I wasn't overweight at that point in my life, but I was not popular at all, and the other kids treated me very badly. They would pull my hair, hit me, knock my books out of my hands and laugh at me. It was tough. And I remember going home and getting brown sugar out of the box, and squeezing it until it was packed together, and then eating it straight.