(ABC) -- Overweight kids have long drawn the dreaded attention of schoolyard bullies. Now, new research tells us it’s not just their peers who target youngsters with a weight problem.
Being young and overweight not only predisposes you to health problems, it can also make you a target for torment.
Overweight children who are picked on by bullies may seek the protection of grown-ups.
A study in the journal Pediatrics finds some adults don’t act their age.
Researchers surveyed 361 overweight or obese adolescents, between the ages of 14 to 18.
- 64 percent reported being bullied because their weight, mostly by peers and friends.
- 42 percent said some bullying came from a physical education teacher or coach.
- 37 percent said a parent.
- And 27 percent said they were bullied by a teacher.
Verbal taunts were the most common, although social isolation, cyber-bullying and physical intimidation were also reported, highlighting the fact that being overweight can be an even even more significant challenge for young people than previously thought.
