Feeling Fat Rather than Being Fat May Be Associated with Psychological Well-Being in Young Dutch Adolescents

PurposeTo contribute to a further exploration of the association of psychosocial well-being with overweight and weight perception among young Dutch adolescents.MethodsData from the ongoing Rotterdam Youth Health Monitor were used from 1,923 9–10-year-olds and 3,841 12–13-year-olds. The association of mental health indicators with weight status based on self-report and measured height and weight was studied with logistic regression analyses in both age groups cross-sectionally. Additional longitudinal analyses were conducted among the 787 pupils for whom follow-up data were available. Interactions with gender and ethnic background were explored. Among the 12–13-year-olds, the role of weight perception was also studied.ResultsWe found that 9–10-year-old obese boys scored more favourably on social anxiety than nonoverweight boys. Among 12–13-year-olds body weight perception, rather than self-reported or measured weight status was associated with mental health indicators. Mental health indicators at age 9–10 years did not predict self-reported weight status at age 12–13 or change in weight status between 9–10 and 12–13 years, nor did weight status at age 9–10 years predict later mental health indicators or change in these indicators.ConclusionsThis study provides no evidence that overweight does coincide with less favorable psychological well-being in young adolescents. In 12–13-year-old adolescents, feeling overweight, rather than being overweight, appears to be important.