Adolescent Perception of Weight Tied to Suicidal Ideation
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 20, 2025 -- Both perceived and actual overweight status may be associated with suicidal ideation among adolescents, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Psychiatry Research.
Philip Baiden, Ph.D., from the University of Texas at Arlington, and colleagues examined the association between perceived weight, actual weight, and suicidal ideation among adolescents. The analysis included data from 61,298 adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years) participating in the Youth Behavior Risk Survey (2015 to 2021).
The researchers found that approximately one in five adolescents reported suicidal ideation, with adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight and had body mass index ≥85th percentile having 1.48 times higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation. Similarly, adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight but had body mass index <85th percentile had 1.47 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal ideation than their peers who did not perceive themselves as overweight but had body mass index <85th percentile.
"Even after adjusting for established suicidal ideation risk factors such as feelings of hopelessness, bullying, cyberbullying, substance use, and demographic variables, we still found a connection between how adolescents feel about their weight and whether they are considering self-harm," coauthor Catherine A. LaBrenz, Ph.D., also from the University of Texas, said in a statement.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
Read this next
Metformin Beneficial for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain in Overweight, Obesity
THURSDAY, May 1, 2025 -- For patients with overweight or obesity and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, metformin is associated with a greater improvement in knee pain than placebo...
Many Medicaid Enrollees Have Restricted Access to SGLT2 Inhibitors, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Many Medicaid enrollees with type 2 diabetes have restricted access to cardioprotective medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2...
Recent Years Saw Increase in Youth With Anxiety, Depression
MONDAY, April 28, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of youth who experienced anxiety or depression, according to a research letter published...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.