Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood Obesity

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adolescents

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Epidemiology and Public Health ((SSEH,volume 2))

Abstract

The obesity epidemic is increasing in youths at a startling rate. By 2010, it is projected that approximately 50% of North American children and 30% of children from the European Union will be overweight (Wang and Lobstein 2006). In the United States, obesity in children and adolescents is defined as a body mass index (BMI; weight in kilograms divided by the height squared in meters) at or above the 95th percentile for individuals of the same age and sex as established by the Centers for Disease Control (Dietz 2004). In European countries, cut-offs created by the International Obesity Task Force are used typically to establish overweight and obesity (Cole et al. 2000). There are many medical disorders associated with childhood obesity, including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension (Stunkard and Wadden 1993), however the psychological consequences can be equally devastating (Puhl and Latner 2007). This is especially concerning when severe pediatric obesity continues into adulthood (Dietz 2004). Thus, it is important to become aware of the psychosocial risk factors for excess weight gain in childhood, as well as the psychological consequences of pediatric obesity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Achenbach, T.M. (1991). Integrative guide for the 1991 CBCL/4-18, YSR, and TRF profiles. Burlington,VT: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ackard, D.M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., & Perry, C. (2003). Overeating among adolescents: prevalence and associations with weight-related characteristics and psychological health. Pediatrics, 111(1), 67–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, K., Sargent, R.G., Thompson, S.H., Richter, D., Corwin, S.J., & Rogan, T. (2000). A study of body weight concerns and weight control practices of 4th and 7th grade adolescents. Ethnicity and Health, 5, 79–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Allon, N. (1981). The stigma of overweight in everyday life. In B.J. Wolman (Ed.), Psychological aspects of obesity: A handbook. New York: Van Nostrand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boutelle, K., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., & Resnick, M. (2002). Weight control behaviors among obese, overweight, and nonoverweight adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 27(6), 531–540.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chrousos, G.P. (2000). The role of stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome: neuro-endocrine and target tissue-related causes. International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders, 24, 50–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, T.J., Bellizzi, M.C., Flegal, K.M., & Dietz, W.H. (2000). Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: International study. British Medical Journal, 320, 1240–1243.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crandall, C. (1994). Prejudice against fat people: Ideology and self-interest. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 882–894.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crosnoe, R. (2007). Gender, obesity, and education. Sociology of Education, 80, 241–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davison, K.K. & Birch, L.L. (2001). Childhood overweight: A contextual model and recommendations for future research. Obesity Reviews, 2, 159–171.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, W.H. (2004). Overweight in childhood and adolescence. New England Journal of Medicine, 350(9), 855–857.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eaton, D., Lowry, R., Brener, N., Galuska, D., & Crosby, A. (2005). Associations of body mass index and perceived weight with suicide ideation and suicide attempts among US high school students. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 159, 513–519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, M.E., Neumark-Sztainer, D. & Story, M. (2003). Associations of weight-based teasing and emotional well-being among adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 157(8), 733–738.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faith, M.S., Leone, M.A., Ayers, T.S., Heo, M., & Pietrobelli, A. (2002). Weight criticism during physical activity, coping skills, and reported physical activity in children. Pediatrics, 110, e23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falkner, N., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Jeffrey, R., Beuhring, T., & Resnick, M. (2001). Social, educational, psychological correlates of weight status in adolescents. Obesity Research, 9, 32–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Felitti, V.J. (1991). Long-term medical consequences of incest, rape, and molestation. Southern Medicine Journal, 84, 328–331.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Felitti, V.J. (1993). Childhood sexual abuse, depression, and family dysfunction in adult obese patients: a case control study. Southern Medicine Journal, 86, 732–736.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • French, S.A., Story, M., & Perry, C.L. (1995). Self-esteem and obesity in children and adolescents: a literature review. Obesity Research, 3(5), 479–490.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedlander, S.L., Larkin, E.K., Rosen, C.L., Palmero, T.M., & Redline, S. (2003). Decreased quality of life associated with obesity in school-aged children. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 157, 1206–1211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, E., & Whitaker, R.C. (2002). A prospective study of the role of depression in the development and persistence of adolescent obesity. Pediatrics, 109, 497–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greeno, C.G., & Wing, R.R. (1994). Stress-induced eating. Psychological Bulletin, 115(3), 444–464.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grilo, C.M., & Masheb, R.M. (2001). Childhood psychological, physical, and sexual maltreatment in outpatients with binge eating disorder: frequency and associations with gender, obesity, and eating-related psychopathology. Obesity Research, 9, 320–325.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gustafson, T.B., & Sarwer, D.B. (2004). Childhood sexual abuse and obesity. Obesity Reviews, 5, 129–135.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. T., King, R.B., Oslak, S.G., & Udry, J.R. (2005). Body mass index, dieting, romance, and sexual activity in adolescent girls: Relationships over time. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15, 535–559.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, K. (2001). Ourselves, our bodies: Thin-ideal, media, self-discrepancies, and eating disorder symptomatology in adolescents. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 20, 289–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayden-Wade, H.A., Stein, R.I., Ghaderi, A., Saelens, B.E., Zabinski, M.F., & Willfley, D.E. (2005). Prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of teasing experiences among overweight children vs. non-overweight peers. Obesity Research, 13, 1381–1392.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hebl, M.R., & Mannix, L.M. (2003). The weight of obesity in evaluating others: A mere proximity effect. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 28–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herva, A., Laitinen, J., Miettunen, J., Veijola, J., Karvonen, J.T., Läksy, K., & Joukamaa, M. (2006). Obesity and depression: Results from the longitudinal Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study. International Journal of Obesity, 30, 520–527.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Himes, C. L., & Reynolds, S. L. (2005). The changing relationship between obesity and educational status. Gender Issues, 22(2), 45–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen, I., Craig, W.M., Boyce, W.F., & Pickett, W. (2004). Associations between overweight and obesity with bullying behaviors in school-age children. Pediatrics, 113, 1187–1194.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kenkel, D., Lillard, D., & Mathios, A. (2006). The roles of high school completion and GED receipt in smoking and obesity. Journal of Labor Economics, 24(3), 635–660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koch, F.-S., Sepa, A., & Ludvigsson, J. (2008). Psychological stress and obesity. The Journal of Pediatrics, 153, 839–844.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kolotkin, R.L., Zeller, M., Modi, A.C., Samsa, G.P., Quinlan, N.P., Yanovski, J.A., Bell, S.K., Maahs, D.M., de Serna, D.G., & Roehrig, H.R. (2006). Assessing weight related quality of life in adolescents. Obesity, 14 (3), 448–457.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landgraf, J.M. (2001). Measuring and monitoring quality of life in children and youth: A brief commentary. Sozial-und Präventivmedizin, 46, 281–282.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Latner, J.D., Stunkard, A.J., & Wilson, G.T. (2005). Stigmatizated students: Age, sex, and ethnicity effects in the stigmatization of obesity. Obesity Research, 13, 1226–1231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lissau, I., & Sorensen, T.I.A. (1994). Parental neglect during childhood and increased risk of obesity in young adulthood. Lancet, 343, 324–327.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lumeng, J.C., Gannon, K., Cabral, H.J., Frank, D.A., & Zuckerman, B. (2003). Association between clinically meaningful behavior problems and overweight in children. Pediatrics, 112, 1138–1145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mamun, A.A., O’Callaghan, M.J., Cramb, S.M., Najman, J.M., Williams, G.M., & Bor, W. (2009). Childhood behavioral problems predict young adults’ BMI and obesity: Evidence from a birth cohort study. Obesity, 17, 761–766.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mellin, A.E., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Ireland, M., & Resnick, M.D. (2002). Unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial difficulties among overweight adolescents: the potential impact of familial factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 145–153.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustillo, S., Worthman, C., Erkanli, A., Keeler, G., Angold, A., & Costello, E.J. (2003). Obesity and psychiatric disorder: Developmental trajectories. Pediatrics, 111, 851–859.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neumark-Sztainer, D., Falkner, N., Story, M., Perry, C., Hannan, P.J., & Mulert, S. (2002). Weight-teasing among adolescents: correlations with weight status and disordered eating behaviors. International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders, 26, 123–131.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neumark-Sztainer, D., Wall, M., Haines, J., Story, M., Sherwood, N., & Van Den Berg, P. (2007). Shared risk and protective factors for overweight and disordered eating adolescents. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 33, 359–369.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, J.W., & Wardle, J. (1997). Cause and effect beliefs and self-esteem of overweight children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 38(6), 645–650.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pine, D.S., Cohen, P., Brook, J., & Coplan, J.D. (1997). Psychiatric symptoms in adolescence as predictors of obesity in early adulthood: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 1303–1310.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pine, D.S., Goldstein, R.B., Wolk, S., & Weissman, M.M. (2001). The association between childhood depression and adulthood body mass index. Pediatrics, 107(5), 1049–1056.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puhl, R.M., & Brownell, K.D. (2003). Psychological origins of obesity stigma: Toward changing a powerful and pervasive bias. Obesity Reviews, 4, 213–227.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puhl, R.M., & Latner, J.D. (2007). Stigma, obesity, and the health of the nation’s children. Psychological Bulletin, 133 (4), 557–580.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, D.M., & Crocker, J. (1999). When ideology hurts: Effects of belief in the Protestant ethic and feeling overweight on the psychological well-being of women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 402–414.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, L.P., Davis, R., Poulton, R., McCauley, E., Moffitt, T.E., Caspi, A., & Connell, F. (2003). A longitudinal evaluation of adolescent depression and adult obesity. Archival Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 157, 739–745.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, R.E., Deleger, S., Strawbridge, W.J., & Kaplan, G.A. (2003). Prospective association between obesity and depression: Evidence from the Alameda Count Study. International Obesity Related Metabolism Disorders, 27, 514–521.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwimmer, J.B., Burwinkle, T.M., & Varni, J.W. (2003). Health-related quality of life of severely obese children and adolescents. Journal of the American Medical Association, 289 (14), 1813–1819.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Springs, F.E., & Friedrich, W.N. (1992). Health risk behaviors and medical sequelaw of childhood sexual abuse. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 67, 527–532.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, R.S. (2000). Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics, 105(1), e15.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, R.S., & Pollack, H.A. (2003). Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 157, 746–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Striegel-Moore, R.H., Dohm, F., Pike, K.M., Wilfley, D.E., & Fairburn, C.G. (2002). Abuse, bullying, and discrimination as risk factors for binge eating disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 1902–1907.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strine, T.W., Mokdad, A.H., Dube, S.R., Balluz, L.S., Gonzalez, O., Berry, J.T., Manderscheid, R., & Kroenke, K. (2008). The association of depression and anxiety with obesity and unhealthy behaviors among community-dwelling US adults. General Hospital Psychiatry, 30, 127–137.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stunkard, A.J., & Wadden, T. (Eds.) (1993). Obesity: Theory and therapy (2 nd ed.). New York: Raven Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, J.K., Coovert, M., Richards, K., Johnson, S., & Cattarin, J. (1995). Development of body image, eating disturbance, and general psychological functioning in female adolescents: Covariance structure modeling and longitudinal investigations. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 18, 221–236.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner-Cobb, J.M. (2005). Psychological stress hormone correlates in early life: A key to HPA-axis dysregulation and normalization. Stress, 8, 47–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Varni, J.W., Seid, M., & Kurtin, P.S. (2001). PedsQL4.0: Reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales in healthy and patient populations. Medical Care, 39, 800–812.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wadden, T.A., & Stunkard, A.J. (1985). Social and psychological consequences of obesity. Annals of Internal Medicine, 103, 1062–1067.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., & Lobstein, T. (2006). Worldwide trends in childhood overweight and obesity. International Journal of Obesity, 19, 562–569.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wardle, J., & Cooke, L. (2005). The impact of obesity on psychological well-being. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 19, 421–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson, D.F., Thompson, T.J., Anda, R.F., Dietz, W.H., & Felitti, V. (2002). Body weight and obesity in adults and self-reported abuse in childhood. International Journal of Obesity, 26, 1075–1082.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, La Salle University, 1900 West Olney Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19141, USA

    Amy E. Sgrenci

  2. Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3535 Market Street – 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Myles S. Faith

Authors
  1. Amy E. Sgrenci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Myles S. Faith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myles S. Faith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Ciencias, Inst. Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain

    Luis A. Moreno

  2. FB Mathematik und Informatik, Inst. Statistik, Univ. Bremen, Bibliothekstr. 1, Bremen, 28359, Germany

    Iris Pigeot

  3. und Sozialmedizin (BIPS), Bremer Institut für Präventionsforschung, Linzer Str. 8-10, Bremen, 28359, Germany

    Wolfgang Ahrens

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sgrenci, A.E., Faith, M.S. (2011). Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood Obesity. In: Moreno, L., Pigeot, I., Ahrens, W. (eds) Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adolescents. Springer Series on Epidemiology and Public Health, vol 2. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6039-9_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6039-9_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-6038-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6039-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation