scholarly journals Interrelation between weight and weight stigma in youth: is there evidence for an obesogenic vicious cycle?

Author(s):  
Michaela Silvia Gmeiner ◽  
Petra Warschburger

AbstractMany children and adolescents are confronted with weight stigma, which can cause psychological and physical burden. While theoretical frameworks postulate a vicious cycle linking stigma and weight status, there is a lack of empirical evidence. The aim was to analyze the longitudinal bidirectional relationship between body weight and weight stigma among children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 1381 children and adolescents, aged 9–19 years at baseline (49.2% female; 78% normal weight), from a prospective study encompassing three measurement points over 6 years. Participants provided self-reported data on experienced weight-related teasing and weight/height (as indicators for weight status). Latent structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationship between weight-related teasing experiences and weight. Additionally, gender-related differences were analyzed. Between the first two waves, there was evidence for a bidirectional relationship between weight and weight-related teasing. Between the last two waves, teasing predicted weight, but there was no reverse association. No gender-related differences were found. The data indicate a reciprocal association between weight stigma and body weight across weight groups and independent of gender. To prevent vicious cycles, approaches that simultaneously promote healthy weight and reduce weight stigma are required.

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Mona Boaz ◽  
Vered Kaufman-Shriqui ◽  
Odile Azoulay ◽  
Talia Weinstein

Elevated body mass index (BMI) has been associated with improved survival and fewer hospitalizations in hemodialysis patients; however, it is not clear that dietary intake is associated with increased BMI in hemodialysis patients. The present analysis was designed to compare energy and macronutrient intake and distribution, as well as compliance with the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM) dietary guidelines, by body weight status (overweight/obese vs. normal weight) in hemodialysis patients. The status of nutrition in hemodialysis patients survey (SNIPS) cohort is a cross-sectional study including a representative sample of individuals on hemodialysis treated in hospital dialysis centers throughout Israel. Of the 375 patients eligible for the current analysis, 60.1% had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (overweight/obese). For each participant, the following measures were recorded: dietary intake, blood biochemistry, anthropometric and hemodynamic measures. These were compared by body weight status. Compared to their normal-weight counterparts, overweight/obese hemodialysis patients did not differ by energy and macronutrient intake, distribution of these nutrients in the diet. Regardless of body weight status, hemodialysis patients have poor compliance with ISRNM dietary guidelines.


Author(s):  
Aysel Vehapoglu ◽  
Zeynep Ebru Cakın ◽  
Feyza Ustabas Kahraman ◽  
Mustafa Atilla Nursoy ◽  
Ali Toprak

Abstract Objectives It is unclear whether body weight status (underweight/normal weight/overweight/obese) is associated with allergic disease. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between body weight status (body mass index; BMI) and atopic allergic disease in prepubertal children, and to compare children with atopic allergic diseases with non atopic healthy children. Methods A prospective cross sectional study of 707 prepubertal children aged 3–10 years was performed; the participants were 278 atopic children with physician-diagnosed allergic disease (allergic rhinitis and asthma) (serum total IgE level >100 kU/l and eosinophilia >4%, or positivity to at least one allergen in skin test) and 429 non atopic healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Data were collected between December 2019 and November 2020 at the Pediatric General and Pediatric Allergy Outpatient Clinics of Bezmialem Vakıf University Hospital. Results Underweight was observed in 11.6% of all participants (10.8% of atopic children, 12.2% of healthy controls), and obesity in 14.9% of all participants (18.0% of atopic children, 12.8% of controls). Obese (OR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08–2.71, p=0.021), and overweight status (OR 1.62; 95% CI: 1.06–2.50, p=0.026) were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight in pre-pubertal children. This association did not differ by gender. There was no relationship between underweight status and atopic allergic disease (OR 1.03; 95% CI: 0.63–1.68, p=0.894). Conclusions Overweight and obesity were associated with an increased risk of atopic allergic disease compared to normal weight among middle-income and high-income pre pubertal children living in Istanbul.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bincai Wei ◽  
Yantao Shao ◽  
Jun Liang ◽  
Peng Tang ◽  
Meile Mo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Telomere length (TL) is variable at birth and is inversely associated with body mass index (BMI) in adulthood. A growing number of evidences suggested that a higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI results in adverse offspring health outcomes, especially shorter newborn TL. However, a newborn’s genetic endowment is equally derived from both parents, the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL has been rarely discussed. We aimed to determine the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL. Methods: A total of 1082 parent-newborn pairs were recruited from the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort (GZBC). TL in cord blood was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and expressed as the ratio of telomere copy number to single-copy gene number (T/S). A series of linear regressions were performed to assess the associations between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL.Results: Mothers who were overweight before pregnancy had significantly shorter cord blood telomere length in their newborns than those who were normal weight before pregnancy [percentage change: −8.17% (95% CI: −14.69 to −0.92%; P=0.028)]. Further analysis of the combined effects of parental weight status on newborn TL showed that TL was significantly shortened among newborns whose mothers were overweight and fathers were of healthy weight when compared with those whose mothers and fathers were both of normal weight [percentage change: −8.59% (95% CI: −15.47 to −1.14%; P=0.025)]. Subgroup analysis indicated these effects were more pronounced among male newborns and those whose paternal age <31 years or maternal age ≥28 years at delivery. Conclusions: Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, but not paternal pre-pregnancy overweight is associated with shorter newborn TL. Weight control in reproductive women and effective eugenics intervention programs may be of particular benefit for improving longevity and life quality of offspring.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reema Tayyem ◽  
Sabika Allehdan ◽  
Hiba Bawadi ◽  
Georgianna Tuuri ◽  
Mariam Al-Mannai ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the associations between adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ and peers’ opinions about body weight and their actual weight status. Design/methodology/approach A total of 795 Jordanian adolescents, 15-18 years of age, were recruited in this study. Adolescents completed a questionnaire to evaluate their perceptions: about how their parents’ and peers’ viewed their weight, regarding any criticism of their parents and peers about their weight and if their parents compared their weight against their siblings. Findings The study found that the majority of non-overweight adolescents thought their parents and peers considered them to have a normal weight (94.9 and 94.6 per cent for boys, 76.6 and 85.5 per cent for girls, respectively). For obese girls, 83.4 per cent thought their parents and 91.7 per cent thought their peers perceived them as overweight. The risk of being obese was significantly related to the amount of parental criticism perceived by adolescent girls with OR = 3.9 (95 per cent CI: 1.6-9.4; P = 0.01), while perception of peer criticism showed an increased trend of risk for obesity in boys. Adolescents’ perceptions regarding parental comparisons between their body weights against their siblings’ body weight was found to increase the risk for obesity significantly among girls. Originality/value The current study highlights that most of the obese adolescents perceived that their parents and peers underestimated their actual weight status. While obese boys were more likely to report being criticized about their body shape by their peers, obese girls indicated that they received more criticism about their weight from their parents.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e020410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhifei He ◽  
Ghose Bishwajit ◽  
Sanni Yaya ◽  
Zhaohui Cheng ◽  
Dongsheng Zou ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW), and to investigate the association between maternal body weight measured in terms of body mass index (BMI) and birth weight in selected countries in Africa.SettingUrban and rural household in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda.ParticipantsMothers (n=11 418) aged between 15 and 49 years with a history of childbirth in the last 5 years.ResultsThe prevalence of LBW in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda was, respectively, 13.4%, 10.2%, 12.1%, 15.7% and 10%. Compared with women who are of normal weight, underweight mothers had a higher likelihood of giving birth to LBW babies in all countries except Ghana. However, the association between maternal BMI and birth weight was found to be statistically significant for Senegal only (OR=1.961 (95% CI 1.259 to 3.055)).ConclusionUnderweight mothers in Senegal share a greater risk of having LBW babies compared with their normal-weight counterparts. Programmes targeting to address infant mortality should focus on promoting nutritional status among women of childbearing age. Longitudinal studies are required to better elucidate the causal nature of the relationship between maternal underweight and LBW.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 10-18
Author(s):  
Alessia Cavaliere ◽  
Elena Siletti ◽  
Alessandro Banterle

This paper studies the relationships between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, food-related information, and possible effects they could jointly exert on weight status. The empirical analysis was conducted via a consumer survey using face-to-face interviews, and a structural equation model was implemented to the data analysis. This model choice was led by its ability to simultaneously evaluate multiple constructs. The results outline the central role played by adherence to the Mediterranean diet and food-related information, both in terms of nutritional knowledge and expert recommendations, which seem to be the key drivers affecting healthy weight. Moreover, food label use increases the nutritional knowledge of consumers, which in turn favours a healthy diet. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 85-96
Author(s):  
Marijana Jandrić-Kočić

Introduction/Aim: 41 million children under the age of 5 and 340 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 are overweight or obese. Obesity in children and adolescents is the most important predictor of high blood pressure. The aim of the study was to examine the incidence of overweight and obesity in primary school children aged 6 to 15 years, as well as to examine the incidence of prehypertension and hypertension in children who were overweight and obese. Method: The study included 85 of 86 children from the Primary School "Krupa na Uni". Data were collected with the help of a questionnaire, while body weight and blood pressure were measured. The chi-square test and t-test were used for the statistical analysis of data Results: The cross-sectional study included 85 children, 45 (52.9%) boys and 40 (47.1%) girls with an average age of 10.87 ± 2.70 years. Normal weight was found in 54 (63.5%) subjects, underweight in 12 (14.1%), overweight in 5 (5.9%), and obesity in 14 (16.5%). 76 (89.4%) subjects had normal blood pressure values, 5 (5.9%) prehypertensive state, and 4 (4.7%) arterial hypertension. There was no significant difference between younger and older children regarding their nutritional status (p=0.477) and blood pressure levels (p=0.453). Children who were overweight and obese had prehypertension and hypertension significantly more often (p˂0.001). Conclusion: Every fifth child was overweight or obese, while prehypertension or hypertension were found in every tenth child. The timely change of diet and physical activity could contribute to the regulation of body weight and the regulation of blood pressure, as well.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Hardman ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Sam Burton ◽  
Jay Duckworth ◽  
Lauren McGale ◽  
...  

Theoretical models suggest that food-related visual attentional bias (AB) may be related to appetitive motivational states and individual differences in body weight; however, findings in this area are equivocal. We conducted a systematic review and series of meta-analyses to determine if there is a positive association between food-related AB and: (1.) body mass index (BMI) (number of effect sizes (k)=110), (2.) hunger (k=98), (3.) subjective craving for food (k=35), and (4.) food intake (k=44). Food-related AB was robustly associated with craving (r = .134 (95% CI .061, .208); p &lt; .001), food intake (r = .085 (95% CI .038, .132); p &lt; .001), and hunger (r = .048 (95% CI .016, .079); p = .003), but these correlations were small. Food-related AB was unrelated to BMI (r =.008 (95% CI -.020, .035); p = .583) and this result was not moderated by type of food stimuli, method of AB assessment, or the subcomponent of AB that was examined. Furthermore, in a between-groups analysis (k = 22) which directly compared participants with overweight/obesity to healthy-weight control groups, there was no evidence for an effect of weight status on food-related AB (Hedge’s g = 0.104, (95% CI -0.050, 0.258); p =.186). Taken together, these findings suggest that food-related AB is sensitive to changes in the motivational value of food, but is unrelated to individual differences in body weight. Our findings question the traditional view of AB as a trait-like index of preoccupation with food and have implications for novel theoretical perspectives on the role of food AB in appetite control and obesity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Grzyb ◽  
Małgorzata Domagalska-Szopa ◽  
Andrzej Siwiec ◽  
Ilona Kwiecień-Czerwieniec ◽  
Andrzej Szopa

Background: One of the objective methods of assessing the level of cardiopulmonary capacity in overweight and obese children and adolescents is cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).Aims: The purpose of present study is an evaluation of aerobic capacity in high body mass index (BMI) children and adolescents by comparing them with a normal weight control group by CPET.Methods and Procedures: The subjects were recruited from participants of the Program of Treatment for Overweight and Obese Children organized by a local pediatric rehabilitation center in Poland. Based on BMI for age and gender, two validation groups were selected: (1) a group of overweight children (n = 49) and (2) a group of obese children (n = 48). The study included also 53 normal weight participants as a reference group (REF). The study consisted of two parts: anthropometric measurements and CPET. The Godfrey protocol for CPET was applied.Outcomes and Results: In this study, obese children and adolescents showed similar absolute VO2peak values in liters per minute (1.64 L/min) compared to overweight children (1.48 L/min), but significantly higher than children with normal body weight (1.39 L/min). The obese children and adolescents presented lower VO2peak in relation to body weight (25.44 ml/kg/min) compared to their peers with normal body weight (36.5 ml/kg/min), and overweight children (29.18 ml/kg/min).Conclusion and Implications: The main finding of our study was recognition of significant differences between cardiopulmonary capacity parameters in obese children in comparison not only to normal weight peers, but to overweight, too.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajin Hu ◽  
Yilin Liu ◽  
Xiaotong Wei ◽  
Lin Li ◽  
Ming Gao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and childhood body weight remains controversial, and additional study is needed, especially in Asian populations.Methods: This prospective study investigated the association between maternal glucose concentration, and GDM status and infant body weight from birth to 12 months of age. Linear mixed effects (LME) models and multiple linear regression were used to assess the longitudinal association of GDM with infant growth measured by weight-for-length (WFLZ), weight-for-age (WFAZ), and length-for-age (LFAZ) z-scores at birth, 1, 3, 6, 8, and 12 months of age.Results: Offspring born to mothers with GDM had higher WFLZ [β: 0.26 SD units (95% CI: 0.13–0.40)] across infancy than those of mothers without GDM. The association was more pronounced in normal-weight and overweight/obese women (P for interaction< 0.05). Multiple linear regression found that the effect estimate of GDM on infant WFLZ was highest at birth [β: 0.32 SD units (95% CI: 0.07– 0.57)], remained significant at 1 [β: 0.24 SD units (95% CI: 0.05–0.43)] and 3 [β:0.20 SD units (95% CI: 0.01–0.39)] months of age and decreased across infancy. Maternal GDM status was not associated with infant WFAZ or LFAZ.Conclusions: Maternal GDM status was associated with infant WFLZ, but not WFAZ or LFAZ. The association of GDM status with offspring WFLZ was more pronounced in early infancy or in normal-weight and overweight/obese women. The results may help to identify the critical period and specific GDM-risk groups for childhood weight status.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document