Adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight are three times more likely to consider committing self-harm compared to those who do not, regardless of whether the person is objectively overweight, according to a study by The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
“What we found was that the perception of being overweight has a much stronger effect of suicidal ideation than the objective measure of weight,” said Dr Philip Baiden, an associate professor of social work at UTA and lead author of the study. “This finding ties neatly into recent calls to reconsider how accurate BMI is as a tool for diagnosing individuals as overweight or obese.”
Baiden conducted the research with fellow UTA social work Associate Professor Dr Catherine LaBrenz, along with researchers from UT Dallas, Texas Woman’s University, Florida International University, New York University, Simmons University and the University of Ghana.
The researchers examined data from more than 39,000 individuals age 14 to 18 obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Behavior Risk Survey. It considered factors such as socioeconomic status, family dynamics, academic pressures and adverse childhood experiences. The pooled data from 2015 to 2021 included both self-reported data from adolescents as well as information obtained from caregivers and school records. This comprehensive approach allowed researchers to identify the relationship between weight perceptions and the increased likelihood of mental health issues.
Approximately one in five adolescents reported suicidal ideation and ithe multivariable analyses, adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight and had BMI ≥ 85th percentile had 1.48 times higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation (95 % CI=1.35–1.62) and adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight but had BMI <85th percentile had 1.47 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal ideation than their peers who did not perceive themselves as overweight and had BMI <85th percentile.
“Even after adjusting for established suicidal ideation risk factors such as feelings of hopelessness, bullying, cyberbullying, substance use and demographic variables, we still found a connection between how adolescents feel about their weight and whether they are considering self-harm,” added Dr LaBrenz, a co-author of the study. “We also found that females were more at risk than males at perceiving themselves to be overweight.”
The study also highlights the critical role of schools, families and communities in creating supportive environments that can help improve adolescents’ self-perceptions, the former because they can offer mental health resources and foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere.
“By investing in preventive measures and early-intervention programs,” Baiden said, “it is possible to reduce the long-term burden on the health care system and improve the quality of life for young people.”
The findings were featured in the paper, 'Effects of objective and perceived weight on suicidal ideation among adolescents: Findings from the 2015–2021 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey', published in Psychiatry Research. To access this paper, please click here
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