Sara Gable, associate professor of human development and family who studies in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences says, "We found that both boys and girls who were overweight from kindergarten through third grade displayed more depression, anxiety and loneliness than kids who were never overweight, and those negative feelings worsened over time.
"Overweight is widely considered a stigmatizing condition and overweight individuals are typically blamed for their situation. The experience of being stigmatized often leads to negative feelings, even in children."
A cohort study
For the purpose of the study the researchers used a tool called the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) to analyze the social and behavioral development of 8,000 school-age children upon entering kindergarten all the way through the third grade.
Factors that had not been evaluated in previous studies, such as the age at becoming overweight and length of time being overweight were also assessed by the researchers.
Observations by researchers
According to the researchers the teachers reported that overweight children had significantly less positive social interactions, demonstrated lower self-control and were more likely to have an impaired quality of life compared to those who were never overweight.
"Girls who were consistently overweight, from kindergarten through third grade, and girls who were approaching being overweight were viewed less favorably than girls who were never overweight," said Gable.
The researchers felt there was a need to understand the implications of being overweight for a child's development. They added that all children should be taught how to maintain a healthy weight and be encouraged to develop good eating habits from an early age.
Gable stated, "Most appearance-based social pressure likely originates in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, intervention and prevention efforts should be designed for everyone. All kids should learn what constitutes a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle."
The above study, "Implications of Overweight Onset and Persistence for Social and Behavioral Development between Kindergarten Entry and Third Grade," was published in Applied Developmental Science.
It was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Programs.
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