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Washington: It's no secret that teenagers who identify as LGBTQ often face victimization and bullying because of their badual identity or gender. A recent study suggests that high percentages of LGBTQ youth are also teased and intimidated because of their weight.
The study, published in Pediatric Obesity, found that, regardless of their gender identity, 44-70% of LGBTQ adolescents reported teasing based on the weight of their family members, 41- 57% reported teasing based on the weight of their peers and up to 44 percent reported teasing based on the weight of family members and their peers.
In addition, about one in four teens reported these experiences at school and their body weight was the third most common reason these teens said they were teased or poorly treated (because of their badual orientation and their gender identity).
"Body weight is often absent from anti-bullying school policies, and our findings suggest that an increased awareness of this problem could be warranted in school settings to ensure that weight-based victimization is properly addressed." and that young people belonging to a badual or gender minority are recognized. as potentially vulnerable targets of weight-based bullying, "said Rebecca Puhl, lead author of the study.
The teenage obesity rate currently stands at 20% in the United States and weight-based victimization has become a widespread form of abuse experienced by young people. This victimization has adverse health consequences, including an increased risk of depression, low self-esteem, suicidal ideation, poor body image, eating disorders, weight control behaviors, and a lack of self-esteem. less physical activity.
Although there is increasing evidence of weight-based victimization among youth, little attention has been given to this issue among LGBTQ adolescents, despite their high prevalence of overweight and obesity and their increased risk of victimization.
"These issues call the attention of health care providers, parents, educators and all those who interact with adolescents. Increased attention must be given to the intersection of social identities related to body weight, badual orientation and gender identity in youth, "said Ryan Watson, co-author of l & # 39; study.
Another key finding of this new study is that regardless of source, family or peer, weight-based victimization, badual and gender minority adolescents face these experiences in various body weight categories. .
The highest rates of weight-related victimization were observed among obese LGBTQ adolescents (up to 77% reported these experiences), but high percentages of adolescents belonging to lower body weight categories were also vulnerable – 55 to 64% of those who were underweight. The BMI reported a victimization based on weight.
Source: ANI
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