A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Bristol has found that parents who tease their children about their weight are putting them at greater risk of feeling bad about their bodies decades later, regardless of whether they grow up to have obesity or not.
The research, published in the Lancet Regional Health Europe journal, followed over 4,000 children from in and around Bristol who were first studied in the 1990s and are now 33. It is the first study to explore the effects of weight-based teasing and pressure to lose weight across decades of people’s lives.
The study found that thirteen-year-olds who felt pressure from family members to shed pounds and endured weight-based teasing showed higher levels of internalised weight stigma when they turned 31. Internalised weight stigma causes people to think they are less attractive, less competent, or less valuable because of their weight, even if they do not have obesity.
The research also highlighted the long-lasting effects of weight stigma on adult psychological health, with pressure from parents, families, bullies, and the media all playing a role in contributing to negative self-perception.
Dr. Amanda Hughes, a co-author of the report, emphasized the importance of being mindful of how parents talk to their children about weight. She urged parents to promote healthy eating and exercise practices for their own sake, rather than making it about needing to be thin to be considered good.
The study also found that people who were bullied as children showed greater weight stigma, but the effect diminished depending on how long ago the bullying occurred. Further research is needed to track the impact of children’s exposure to social media later in life, as the study participants were children well before the rise of social media platforms.
Overall, the findings underscore the importance of addressing weight stigma and promoting positive body image from a young age to prevent long-term negative effects on mental and physical health.