title: Bullying as a mediator of relationships between adiposity status and weapon carrying.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although evidence links increased adiposity status with bullying involvement, it is unknown whether this leads to behaviors such as weapon carrying. The purpose of this study was to: (1) analyze relationships between adiposity status and risks for weapon carrying among Canadian school children, and (2) whether this relationship was mediated by reports of bullying.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the health experiences of 7,877 Canadian children. Relationships between adiposity status and weapon carrying were evaluated. Evidence of mediation by bullying involvement was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overweight (OR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.04-2.02) and obese (OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.43-3.35) males reported higher odds of weapon carrying relative to normal weight males. There was partial mediation of this relationship by physical and relational bullying, both as a perpetrator or a victim. No evidence of a relationship was identified for female students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight and obese male students appear to be more likely to carry weapons for defensive and offensive purposes, a behavior mediated partially by bullying involvement. However, other factors may play a role as mediators in these etiological relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. atif.ak@gmail.com
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kukaswadia
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pickett
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D058445:Bullying; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology