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Weight Status, Body Image and Bullying among Adolescents in the Seychelles

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  • Michael L. Wilson

    (Centre for Injury Prevention and Community Safety (CIPCS), PeerCorps Trust Fund, 352/64 Makunganya Street, Co-Architecture Building 4th Floor, P.O. Box 22499, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

  • Bharathi Viswanathan

    (Unit for Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Disease, Ministry of Health, Victoria, Republic of Seychelles)

  • Valentin Rousson

    (Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland)

  • Pascal Bovet

    (Unit for Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Disease, Ministry of Health, Victoria, Republic of Seychelles
    Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, 1010, Switzerland)

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between being bullied and measured body weight and perceived body weight among adolescents of a middle-income sub Saharan African country. Our data originated from the Global School-based Health Survey, which targets adolescents aged 13–15 years. Student weights and heights were measured before administrating the questionnaire which included questions about personal data, health behaviors and being bullied. Standard criteria were used to assess thinness, overweight and obesity. Among 1,006 participants who had complete data, 16.5% (95%CI 13.3–20.2) reported being bullied ?3 days during the past 30 days; 13.4% were thin, 16.8% were overweight and 7.6% were obese. Categories of actual weight and of perceived weight correlated only moderately (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.37 for boys and 0.57 for girls; p < 0.001). In univariate analysis, both actual obesity (OR 1.76; p = 0.051) and perception of high weight (OR 1.63 for “slightly overweight”; OR 2.74 for “very overweight”, both p < 0.05) were associated with being bullied. In multivariate analysis, ORs for categories of perceived overweight were virtually unchanged while ORs for actual overweight and obesity were substantially attenuated, suggesting a substantial role of perceived weight in the association with being bullied. Actual underweight and perceived thinness also tended to be associated with being bullied, although not significantly. Our findings suggest that more research attention be given to disentangling the significant association between body image, overweight and bullying among adolescents. Further studies in diverse populations are warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael L. Wilson & Bharathi Viswanathan & Valentin Rousson & Pascal Bovet, 2013. "Weight Status, Body Image and Bullying among Adolescents in the Seychelles," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:10:y:2013:i:5:p:1763-1774:d:25423
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael L. Wilson & Andrea C. Dunlavy & Bharathi Viswanathan & Pascal Bovet, 2012. "Suicidal Expression among School-Attending Adolescents in a Middle-Income Sub-Saharan Country," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Karl Peltzer & Supa Pengpid, 2011. "Overweight and Obesity and Associated Factors among School-Aged Adolescents in Ghana and Uganda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-12, September.
    3. Wendy Craig & Yossi Harel-Fisch & Haya Fogel-Grinvald & Suzanne Dostaler & Jorn Hetland & Bruce Simons-Morton & Michal Molcho & Margarida Mato & Mary Overpeck & Pernille Due & William Pickett, 2009. "A cross-national profile of bullying and victimization among adolescents in 40 countries," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 216-224, September.
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