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The researchers say that the more children are teased, the more weight they will have to take in the years to come.
For some people, being called for unhealthy behavior can be a warning to act.
But for others, this can only reinforce this behavior as part of your permanent identity.
A new study suggests that such a study is often the case for children and their weight.
The study involved 110 preadolescents and adolescents at risk of being overweight or obese.
The researchers said that children who laughed at their weight were more likely to gain weight faster in the next few years.
The researchers also suggested that the more children laugh at their weight, the more weight they could gain.
The results highlight not only the dangerous effects that teasing can have, but also the delicate line that adults should try to walk when they talk to kids about teasing and the dangers of weight gain.
"It's really important to ask your children if they are teased, victimized or excluded for any reason, including weight," said Natasha Schvey, PhD, lead author of the study. and Assistant Professor in Medical and Clinical Psychology at Uniformed. University Services outside Washington, DC
"Sometimes parents feel uncomfortable or badume that children are making fun, but that does not always happen," she told Healthline. "In terms of weight, the general recommendation is not to tackle weight in particular."
This is because weight is a delicate subject with such great potential to frustrate and heal a child.
"Any conversation that is perceived to be weight-related is generally perceived as a stigma for children, even by simply saying something like," You look really skinny in this dress, "Schvey said.
To try to determine the stigmatizing effect of teasing, Schvey and his colleagues measured the weight and size of study participants, averaging about 12 years of age.
Participants then received a questionnaire badessing the frequency with which they were teased about their weight.
The researchers found that the body mbad index of children who were teased about their weight increased by 33% more per year than children who did not have one. They also had a 91% increase in body fat gained each year.
The study concludes that these findings may suggest that weight-based teasing increases the likelihood of greater weight gain in children at risk of obesity.
But he also notes: "Alternatively, children at high risk of excessive weight gain may be more likely to report (teasing based on weight)" or they could experience both teasing and weight gain due to a "weight loss." unmeasured factor ".
Schvey said future research would be needed to show if teasing is a cause of or relates to weight gain.
"If that's the case, it's necessary to look for the mechanisms that put children at risk," she said.
They may be more likely to eat unhealthy diets, or teasing may cause chronic stress, which affects the physiology of the body.
Although this study does not establish a causal link between teasing and weight gain, this study adds to a growing body of knowledge about how these factors interact.
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Heidi Milby, Director of Programs and Field Operations at Action for Healthy Kids, has made these new findings.
"We know that weight is a sensitive issue," she told Healthline. "And adolescence is a time when children are already hyper-conscious of their bodies."
Being overweight or obese is a symptom and the result of the many problems a child may face, said Milby.
So being teased about weight can create what it calls a vicious circle if it is not treated early.
But solving the problem is tricky.
Data such as new discoveries may indicate the potential dangers of a careless formulation when talking about weight with a child.
Instead, Schvey suggests talking about healthy behaviors – getting enough exercise, eating well – but not linking these behaviors to weight or height.
And, she says, instead of just talking about what to do, show them.
"Use modeling," she says. "You do not just want to tell the child to go out and take a walk, but to make it a family activity. So you do not necessarily give advice, you model it. "
Milby gave the same advice.
"The weight is sensitive for everyone," she said. "Our mantra is, when we talk about weight with children, instead of focusing on weight, we focus on health."
This can include being active and eating healthy.
She also mentioned the importance of being a role model for health, including involving children in activities such as preparing healthy meals to make it more participatory and fun.
Milby would also like to see how such actions could change the results for children like those in Schvey's study.
"It would be really interesting to see how positive role models and a support system modify these results" in future research, she said.
She would also like to see more research on the role of cyberbullying and whether there is a correlation between weight-related teasing and children's ability to focus on school – or even going to school.
"Children need to be healthy to succeed in school, and success in school ultimately influences success beyond school," she said.
New research suggests that there is a link between a teen's teased weight and weight gain in subsequent years.
Research highlights how weight can be a sensitive topic to address with children.
Experts suggest not to mention weight to children, but rather to talk about healthy behaviors and try to model them.
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