Être un adolescent obèse : nature et sens du symptôme*

Obesity begins in the very first years of life. But it only becomes a symptom many years later. In this series of 387 teenagers (boys and girls), we study the way their embarrassment appears: the mockeries, glance from others, way of getting dressed, sports activity and more generally evil to be. The nature of the symptom and its meaning are different for boys and girls: references to excess weight, age, school periods and puberty development are expressed differently. This study points out the importance in the analysis of the obesity symptom before starting any therapeutic project, but also wants to be a plea for the prevention of obesity among the youngsters.