Labeling Youth Obesity

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Labeling Youth Obesity
Weight and appearance is the cornerstone of either damage or endearment to a person’s self-esteems. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. A BMI chart uses the figures obtained from your index to calculate body mass and classify your build based on where you are on the graph. Terms like over-weight and obese are used to describe the upper extremes. These terms present multiple forms of social prejudice, and therefore should not be used to label those with excessive weight. Labels like obese have negative connotations and when placed on a person they can have devastating psychological effects. Mild depressive disorders, body dissatisfaction and psychological maladjustment are disorders common to those struggling with being branded as obese. Children with these labels are at a higher risk of being subject to social abuse over time. Society should eliminate weight classifications and labels in order to keep youth from being exposed to social degradation at a young age.
The negative implications associated with labels damage children dealing with weight in several ways. According to a study from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development overweight/obese young people are more likely to experience impaired peer relationships, stigmatization, and weight bias compared to their normal- weight peers. (Farhat, Ianotti, & Simons-Morton, 2010) Interaction with other children is a crucial aspect of social development. Through peer relationships youth develop the skills necessary to function properly in society as adults. Stigmatization can lead to the child being ashamed of their appearance, which can adversely affect the health of their self-esteem and potentially...

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...ate that obese children and adolescents are subjected to social rejection, discrimination and negative stereotyping and such experiences could be expected to lead to negative consequences in terms of self-image, self-esteem and mood. More people would benefit from the obesity classification being discontinued. It is far less likely that these labels with serve as positive motivation for a healthier lifestyle. If we stopped labeling children and overweight and obese while still applying positive reinforcement toward physical wellness the outcome would yield a larger quantity of youth willing to develop healthy habits. With a weakened level of self-esteem, that willingness and motivation will not exist. The negative connotations associated with obesity labeling are damaging to youth and will make it difficult for them to efficiently develop into adulthood.

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