Obese Teens at higher Suicide Risk

ected due to obesity, new research has shown that it has an adverse impact on mental health too. Obese teenagers were found to be at a greater risk of attempting suicide than others. This holds true for boys as well as girls, contrary to what the researchers expected. Another finding of the research is that teens who falsely believe themselves to be obese are more inclined to have suicidal tendencies.

In the study on adolescent health, more than 14,000 high school students were examined for a relationship between high body mass index (BMI) and suicide attempts. Lead study author, Monica Swahn, PhD was of the opinion that the issue of mental health problems due to obesity is a largely unaddressed one. Since the mental distress caused by obesity in teens is growing, additional mental healthcare for this problem may need to be provided by the authorities.

The kids grappling with peer pressure get a distorted outlook of reality. They believe in something which is not real to be real. If you find your obese child with some usual signs of depression, take it seriously. In view of this research, he or she might be under great mental strife. The researchers in the study have recommended further examination of the link between the actual or perceived state of being overweight and the tendency to commit suicide. The issue does warrant a study of factors that may alleviate the risk of suicide in obese teens.