Obesity: Overweight and Health Care Providers

• Obese children are found to be victims of social stigmatization and are vulnerable to the psychological effects such as depression and social effects such as isolation.
• Obesity is highly stigmatized in the western cultures and overweight or obese people often face discrimination, negative stereotyping and negative attitudes even from health professionals.
• Psychological problems in overweight and obese people occur more often in men than women, with women particularly suffering from an altered body image.
• The negative social reactions towards these children have adverse emotional consequences including low self esteem, negative body image and depressive symptoms.
• This destructive treatment does not only come from peers but also adults, including teachers, parents, and health care providers.
• Overwieght and obese people are likely to have fewer friends and suffer ongoing peer rejection which has been proved to to reduce pshycological function in adult hood
• Obesity in adults is co related with long term social and economical consequences including lower educational achievement, lower income and higher rates of poverty in adulthood.
• Obese children are often teased by other children, excluded from PEER GROUP activities, picked last for sprots teams and shunned during social activities.
• Stigmatization of obesity is common place throughout the media, especially television, movies and popular megazines.
• Obese adults are discriminated against when applying for jobs and during application process in colleges.
• A study of Overwieght young women in USA revealed that obese young women earn less than healthy young women or than women with other chronic health problems.
• Even children as young as six perceived obese children to be ‘’ lazy, stupid, ugly, liars, and cheats’’
• The Immdiate physical consequence of teen obesity is restricted mobility and lack of physical endurance.
• Childhood obesity is a growing problem on todays society. Infact