Teen obesity risk increased by negative body image, not depression: study

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Depression affects an estimated 2.6 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States alone, the National Institute of Mental Health reports. Depression has also been linked to obesity among adolescents, as evidenced by a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. However, a new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders reveals that negative body image significantly increases the risk of obesity in adolescents, regardless if they have depression.

EurekAlert reports that researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health analyzed data from a study called Teen Health 2000 (TH2K), which surveyed 11 to 17-year-old children in the Houston area. The survey posted the question on how teens described themselves based on these categories: skinny, somewhat skinny, average weight, somewhat overweight, or overweight. TH2K also checked if the participant had a major depressive episode in the last 12 months, and recorded the participants' height and weight. The study also categorized those with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more as obese.

The UTHealth researchers found that regardless of how much they weighed, the teens who thought of themselves as overweight were two times more likely to become obese 12 months after they were surveyed. More importantly, female participants were three times more likely to be obese a year after the study.

MedicalXpress reports that researchers recognize previous studies showing the relationship between negative body image and increased psychological distress, disordered eating, binge eating, and less health promoting practices like physical activity, exercise, and consumption of healthier foods like fruits and vegetables.

"Our last study found that participants who were depressed were twice as likely to be obese six years later, implying a cause-and-effect relationship between depression and obesity," lead author Robert E. Roberts, Ph.D. explained. Dr. Roberts is also a professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus.

"In this new study, when body image was introduced, we found no association between major depression and obesity, meaning that body image is the mediating factor," he said. "Clinically, addressing body image in depressed patients who are obese may improve outcomes."

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Plus size model Ashley recently spoke out on how parents can and do influence their child's body image. People reports that the 27-year-old joined Good Morning America for a segment in which seven moms spoke with a clinical psychologist about how they want their kids to feel about their bodies.

Graham shared that at a young age, her mother was very body positive. She said, "It's what I heard her say to me constantly...'I see a strong woman' and it's from the beauty inside, out."

Graham said, "That gave me so much confidence because if my mom didn't think I needed to lose weight, then obviously I didn't need to."