The rates of obesity are rising among Arizona children. A study published in the May 2010 issue of Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine reports that while the overall obesity rate of children across the US increased by 10%, in Arizona that rate rose almost 46% from 2003-2007. A new study published in the June 2010 issue of Pediatrics looked at the link between childhood obesity and being bullied in 3rd, 5th, and 6th graders. Not surprisingly, the study found there was a significant relationship between obesity and being bullied.
The study on weight and bullying found that 17% of the 3rd graders studied were considered obese while another 15% were categorized as overweight. Reports of bullying were collected from the child, mother, and teachers. The researchers found that the obese children were more likely to be bullied even when they took into account factors such as the child’s gender race, and grade level; the family’s income-to-needs ratio; the school’s racial and socioeconomic composition; and the teacher’s and mother’s evaluation of the child’s social skills and scholastic achievement.
The National School Safety Center explains bullying as a form of violence that hurts others. Bullies use their power to intentionally hurt others. Their power can come from their size, age, strength, intelligence, or anything else that may give them a perceived advantage over others. Bullying could come in the form of teasing/taunting, threatening, name calling, rejecting or excluding others, humiliating others, hitting/punching, kicking, pushing, manipulating friends and relationships, writing hurtful things online (such as on MySpace or Facebook) or in texts or emails, or any number of other ways. The list goes on and on. While boys tend to be physical bullies, the stereotypical push you down and demand lunch money type bully, girls can be vicious bullies by emotionally terrorizing their victims.
Children who are bullied may have problems with self-esteem, depression, or anxiety. They begin to stay away from certain activities or locations in school to avoid the bully. They may even begin to try to avoid school altogether. Sometimes the bullying results in aggression or violence from the victim when they decide to fight back or seek revenge.
Bullying is a community problem. Witnesses, parents, and teachers all need to take a stand and take an active role in stopping bullying. Check back for follow up articles on what parents and teachers can do to prevent bullying and steps to take to intervene in a bullying situation.
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