Citation

Ganapathy SS, Tan L, Sooryanarayana R, Hashim MH, Saminathan TA, Ahmad FH, Salleh R, Abdul Aziz NS. Asia Pac. J. Public Health 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1010539519879339

PMID

31617372

Abstract

Body weight is a factor, with body weight perception a mediator, toward being a victim of bullying. This study aimed to explore the association between body weight, body weight perception, and bullying among students 13 to 17 years of age in Malaysia. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A 2-stage stratified cluster sampling design was used, and 212 schools across Malaysia were selected for this survey. Body weight was measured and body weight perception was the student's reflection of their body weight. The prevalence of being bullied among adolescents in Malaysia was 16.2%. Being too thin or being obese increased the probability of being bullied. Students with a normal body mass index, but with a misperception of their body weight, also had increased odds of being bullied. Obesity prevention, together with instilling positive body weight perception, should be part of all programs directed toward tackling the problem of bullying.

Language: en

Keywords

Malaysia; adolescent health survey; body weight; body weight perception; bullying