Citation

Reulbach U, Ladewig EL, Nixon E, O'Moore M, Williams J, O'Dowd T. J. Paediatr. Child Health 2013; 49(4): E288-93.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin; HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jpc.12159

PMID

23530984

Abstract

AIM: To explore the association between weight and bullying; considering victims and perpetrators as two aspects of bullying, and subjective perception and objective measurement as two aspects of weight. METHODS: This study is based on the first wave of data collection from Growing Up in Ireland - the National Longitudinal Study of Children. The two-stage sample design included a sample of 910 primary schools in Ireland, from which a sample of 8568 nine-year-old children and their families was randomly selected. Analysis is based on statistically reweighted data to ensure that it is representative of all 9-year-olds in Ireland. RESULTS: Significantly (P < 0.001) more girls were overweight or obese (33.1%: 23.1% overweight and 10% obese) than boys (25.2%: 18.3% and 6.9%). Children who were body mass index (BMI) classified as overweight or obese were significantly (P < 0.001) more likely to be victimised when compared with children whose BMI was not classified as overweight or obese. BMI-classified thinness was not significantly associated with victimisation; however, the body image of being skinny or very skinny was significantly (P = 0.015) associated with being victimised. Bullying perpetration was not associated with BMI-derived weight classification but was significantly (P < 0.001) associated with the child's own self-description of weight. CONCLUSIONS: Overall body image was found to have a stronger association with victimisation and bullying perpetration than objective BMI-derived weight classification. Further research investigating the mediating role of body image in the relationship between weight, victimisation and bullying is necessary to better understand this association.

Language: en