US News & World Report reports on new research which suggests that being an overweight kid at school increases the risk of being bullied. My first reaction? Was research really necessary to prove such a claim?
I guess the most telling result of the study proved that being a fat kid trumps all other reasons kids get bullied in school — gender, race, economic status and I’m sure a plethora of others reasons. The study found that being overweight increased the risk of being the target of bullying by 63 percent.
With a well-deserved focus on bullying in school, along with the insatiable focus on obesity and children, one would hope that every school in America sit up and take notice. The social and cultural consequences of rampant bullying and humiliation during a child’s most formative years boggles the mind. I appreciate that bullying, teasing and physical aggression didn’t just appear in our schools overnight. But don’t think anyone can deny bullying appears to be widespread, venomous and sometimes deadly.
Stop the bullying, for whatever reason. Schools need to recognize what’s going on, and bring the parents into play as soon as possible. Enough is enough.
really says a lot about our lovely society, doesn’t it? i wonder what the results would be if they took the poll in other countries?
I wonder how many adults are bullied, or lose out on jobs because of their fat issues….
The prejudice exists. Simply the appearance of ‘not being in control’ may play a part in how some decision-makers view an individual in a professional setting — or anywhere. It stinks, but I’m sure it happens every day.