Misperception of Weight Leads to Depression
By Ronnie KoenigIn a culture where adolescents judge one another on appearances, there's no question that being an overweight teenage girl is tough. But a new study conducted by Penn State sociologists and published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior reveals that teen girls who think they are overweight but are not are actually at higher risk for depression than female peers who are aware they carry extra pounds. Interestingly, the thought of oneself as fat can be more damaging to one's mental health than actually being fat.
Julie Hanks, clinical director of Wasatch Family Therapy, is not surprised by the study's findings.
"A normal-weight teen who believes she is overweight may feel alone in her body distress," says Hanks. "It's likely that parents and friends [will] dismiss her concerns by saying things like, 'What are you talking about? You look fine. Get over it!' The overweight teen may receive more validation and empathy from others about her weight distress, hearing things like, 'How can we help? I'm so sorry that you're in so much pain.'"
The Penn State researchers studied data from 6,557 male and 6,126 female participants who were part of the Wave II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
"Parents often worry about overweight girls' mental health, but our findings show that it is girls who have a healthy weight but perceive being overweight who are most likely to feel depressed," Jason N. Houle, graduate student in sociology and demography, said in a Penn State press release.
The study also showed that boys who were underweight were at high risk for depressive symptoms.
Hanks says that although unrealistically thin and overly sexualized images of women in the media are partly to blame for many teen girls' self-perceptions, much of the responsibility for body image lies with parents.
"By being overly critical of their own bodies, many parents unknowingly model for their daughters that it is 'normal' for women to be dissatisfied with their own bodies, regardless of size," says Hanks.
If you're the parent of a weight pessimist, the first step is to stop dismissing your daughter's concerns.
"If a teenage girl believes that she is overweight, that is her reality," says Hanks. "Shut up and listen to how your daughter's feeling instead of telling her how she should feel about her body."
Parents can also encourage young women to view their bodies as instruments, not just as ornaments, and to start discussions about the amazing things our bodies do for us each day. Hanks also suggests talking to your teen about making the best of what she's got instead of trying to be something she is not.
"Encourage your daughter to take good care of her health and to be the best version of her body."
Perhaps the best way to combat negative body image and the depression it can cause is to lead by example.
"Work on your own body image and model how you'd like your daughter to feel about and to treat her body," says Hanks.
More on Depression:
Caring for Someone With Depression
