Shaming overweight kids can be toxic, warn doctors

Paediatricians urge parents and people in general to be more understanding

Parents around the globe need to learn not to shame their overweight children, doctors have warned. Shaming kids about their weight doesn't encourage them to shed excess pounds, according to new research published by the American Academy of Paediatrics and the Obesity Society, reports Daily Mail.



And yet, they say, scores of parents and medical professionals seem to struggle with that concept. Writing in a joint policy statement published recently, the two societies warned that shaming often has the opposite effect and contributes to behaviours like binge eating, inactivity, social isolation, and avoidance of routine medical check-ups.

“Keep it positive. We know that making change is tough, and patients will likely have trouble initially meeting some of their goals, but we can learn from these challenges and go from there,” alleged Dr Stephen Pont, lead author of the statement and founding chair of the AAP Section on Obesity Executive Committee. He added, “Also, we know that children with obesity are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety so we want to be extra mindful to focus on positive reinforcement and not negative reinforcement when encouraging behaviour change.”



Keeping children from feeling stigmatised may also mean talking to them about what they see in the movies and on television, a separate study in the same issue of Paediatrics suggests. The authors of the study analysed kids' movies and found that most of the movies stigmatised weight. Research shows that one in three kids between the ages of two and 19 nowadays are overweight or obese.

Stigma and discrimination can add to their health problems and harm their quality of life, making them feel isolated, embarrassed and sad. Excess weight alone can be a predictor for victimisation and bullying. Kids who feel stigmatised often are victims of teasing, bullying and harassment in school. Many children who seek medical help for their weight report being bullied too.

“Parents need to think carefully before having conversations about weight,” stated Rebecca Puhl, a fellow at the Obesity Society and deputy director of the Rudd Centre for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut in Hartford.



“As much as possible, parents should focus their comments on health and health behaviours, identifying ways that they and their children can practice healthier behaviours together as a family,” she added.

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