Skip to main content

Weight-Obsessed Teens Face Triple the Odds for Self-Harm

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 12, 2025.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2025 -- Even if a teen is at a healthy weight, just thinking they are overweight can greatly raise their odds for self-harm, a new study finds.

“What we found was that the perception of being overweight has a much stronger effect of suicidal ideation than the objective measure of weight,” said study lead author Philip Baiden. He's associate professor of social work at the University of Texas at Arlington.

In the study, Baiden and colleagues looked at 2015-2021 data on more than 39,000 U.S. teens, ages 14 to 18, collected by surveys conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some of the data focused on key factors in these kids' lives: Their families' socioeconomic status, dynamics within the family, pressures at school and tough issues experienced in childhood.

Other information about their lives was also gleaned from parents and other caregivers and school records.

The Texas team focused especially on any self-reports of suicidal thoughts (ideation). Teens who thought they were overweight had triple the odds of these intrusive thoughts, the study found.

“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,” said study co-author Catherine LaBrenz.

“We also found that females were more at risk than males at perceiving themselves to be overweight," noted LaBrenz, an associate professor of social work at the university.

The team stressed, however, that parents, families, school and communities can all work together to boost teens' self image and prevent mental health crises.

“By investing in preventive measures and early-intervention programs,” Baiden said, “it is possible to reduce the long-term burden on the health care system and improve the quality of life for young people.”

If you or someone you love is in mental health crisis, help is at hand 24/7 at the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

The study was published in the March issue of Psychiatric Research.

Sources

  • University of Texas at Arlington, news release, Feb. 10, 2025

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

Childhood Trauma Boosts Endometriosis Risk

FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 — Traumatic childhood events can increase a woman’s risk of endometriosis later in life, a new study says. Women’s endometriosis risk...

Accelerated Biological Aging Tied To Dementia, Stroke Risk

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 — A hallmark of accelerated aging appears to be linked to an increased risk of dementia and stroke, a new study says. Shorter telomere length in a...

Screen Time And Troubled Kids: Is There A Vicious Circle?

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 — A “vicious circle” might exist between screen time and troubled children, a new evidence review says. Screen time — particularly...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.