Young people who experience bullying because of their weight feel that their schools do not take the problem seriously enough. In some cases, they change their own behaviour to avoid harassment, according to a new study from Lund University.
The interviews reveal how weight-based bullying shapes young people's everyday lives, self-image, and relationships. At the same time, several participants felt that school interventions were directed at them rather than at the students doing the bullying.
"It is important that schools signal who is doing something wrong and who needs to change their behaviour, so that this is clear to the person being targeted. The responsibility should not fall on the victim," says Kajsa Järvholm, psychologist and associate professor at Lund University.
The study is based on qualitative interviews with 13 adolescents aged 12-19 with obesity who had been subjected to weight-related bullying at school. Rather than measuring how common the problem is, the study provides an in-depth understanding of the young people's experiences and their views on how schools and society address the issue. Previous international studies, however, show that weight is a common reason for bullying.
When the solution becomes the victim's responsibility
The adolescents described both overt harassment and more subtle forms of mistreatment. This included derogatory comments, social exclusion and physical aggression, but also looks, whispers and situations in which they felt others were laughing at them.
A recurring theme was that adults at school did not intervene clearly enough. Some participants said their experiences were downplayed or that they were not believed. Others were advised to avoid the situation or lose weight in order to stop the bullying.
"Sometimes it can make a big difference when an adult simply acknowledges that what is happening is not okay and shows that the school takes it seriously," says Kajsa Järvholm.
Society's prejudices become the adolescents' own
When bullying continues and young people are expected to adjust their own behaviour, they risk coming to see their bodies as the problem. They described avoiding eating with others, changing clothes in locker rooms, or taking part in activities where they might become targets.
Researchers refer to this as internalized weight stigma. It occurs when negative attitudes and stereotypes about weight become part of a person's self-image. Those who are bullied may begin to believe that it is their responsibility to change in order to avoid being treated poorly.
A problem that extends beyond the school years
Several adolescents expressed concern that the effects of bullying would remain long after they leave school. They described lower self-esteem, reduced trust in others, and difficulty imagining a positive future. Some also reported school absenteeism and social isolation as ways of coping with the bullying.
In her clinical work as a psychologist, Kajsa Järvholm meets adolescents with obesity who are doing well and are satisfied with their lives, but also those who isolate themselves and try to become as invisible as possible.
"A common factor among those who withdraw is that they have experienced bullying. I wanted to understand how these experiences affect young people from their own perspective, but also to raise the issue to a broader level through research."
Järvholm emphasizes that weight-based bullying also reflects wider societal attitudes toward body size, weight, and obesity.
"There is a perception, and many prejudices, that obesity is simply a matter of poor self-control and that a person's weight says something about who they are. This view may contribute to degrading treatment and harassment being normalized or treated less seriously than other forms of bullying," she says.
What schools and healthcare providers need to consider
The research team argues that schools need to recognize weight-related bullying and address it as seriously as any other form of bullying. This could include explicitly incorporating weight into anti-bullying policies and ensuring that interventions focus on the perpetrators rather than the victims. Obesity Sweden, the national obesity association, also provides resources for schools seeking to increase their understanding of obesity.
Healthcare services also have an important role to play. Professionals working with children and adolescents with obesity should ask about their experiences at school and whether they feel safe, for example when eating with others in the school cafeteria.
"We really need to find out how young people are doing at school, not just ask whether they eat the school meals. Experiences of bullying may be hidden in these situations, and we risk missing them otherwise," says Kajsa Järvholm.
The researchers hope that increased awareness will lead to better support from both schools and healthcare providers, allowing adolescents with obesity to feel safe without having to change themselves in order to be accepted.
