How Families Can Engage in Supportive Communication with Youth of All Body Sizes

August 2024

For youth, weight stigma is most commonly experienced as teasing, bullying, or harassment, which can be referred to as ‘weight-based victimization’. This can include verbal teasing, cyber bullying, physical aggression, or relational victimization (such as being ignored, excluded, or the target of rumors). Across youth of diverse backgrounds, as many as half of girls and one third of boys report being teased or bullied about their body weight. Youth are more likely to be bullied for their weight or physical appearance than because of their race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability status. While peers are common perpetrators of weight-based teasing in youth and adolescents,4 parents and family members are also common sources of weight stigma. When youth experience weight teasing from family members, they are more likely to internalize these experiences and engage in self-blame.

Rudd Code: 362402