title: Overweight, perceived overweight and involvement in bullying in middle adolescence.
abstract: Overweight is reportedly a risk factor for being bullied, and body image may mediate this association. Research on associations between overweight and bullying has so far only focused on children and early adolescents. We explored associations between actual and perceived overweight at age 15 and involvement in bullying at ages 15 and 17. A total of 2070 Finnish adolescents responded to a survey at ages 15 and 17. Self-reported weight and height, perceived weight and involvement in bullying were elicited. Being overweight at age 15 was not associated with being bullied or with being a bully at age 15 or 17. Perceived overweight among girls was associated with subsequent involvement in bullying as a bully and in feeling shunned. Weight related bullying may decrease from pre- and early adolescence to middle adolescence. The associations between perceived overweight and self-identification as a bully, and those between perceived overweight and feeling isolated may be explained by the phenomena representing psychological dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Medicine, 30014 University of Tampere, Finland; Vanha Vaasa Hospital, Vierinkiventie 1, 65380 Vaasa, Finland; Tampere University Hospital, Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, 33380 Pitkäniemi, Finland. Electronic address: merihe@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Riittakerttu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaltiala-Heino
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Medicine, 30014 University of Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: Lankinen.Vilma.L@student.uta.fi.
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lankinen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mental Health Unit, Box 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Box 590, 00029 HUS, Finland. Electronic address: mauri.marttunen@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Mauri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marttunen
authors.affiliation: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki University Hospital, Kellokoski Hospital, 04500 Kellokoski, Finland. Electronic address: nina.lindberg@hus.fi.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lindberg
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences, 33014 University of Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: sari.frojd@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fröjd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Adolescence; Body image; Bullying; Overweight