New Study: Researchers Find Links Between Eating Disorders & Bullying

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Can bullying affect children’s weight, health, and future?

Duke Medicine researchers recently reported from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine (UNC), that students who bullied their peers were twice as likely to display symptoms of bulimia, such as bingeing and purging.

Findings from a database with more than two decades of health information on participants enrolled at age 9 reported that children who were victims of bullying were generally at risk for eating disorders, but reports also showed that children that were the bullies also had the highest prevalence of anorexia symptoms (22.8% vs. 5.6 % of those not involved in bullying.)

Latino kids at more risk for being overweight and having diabetes may also be at a higher risk for being bullied or being the child who feels insecure and bullies other children.

“The bullies’ own body dissatisfaction could fuel their taunting of others. Our findings tell us to raise our vigilance for eating disorders in anyone involved in bullying exchanges — regardless of whether they are the aggressor, the victim, or both,” said Cynthia M. Bulik, a UNC professor, and co-author researcher in a recent article.

The researchers are continuing to research the victims and the bullies, hoping to understand how building resilience through bullying may affect the child’s’ future health, financial and educational outcomes.

Having rules set in schools against bullying and encouraging students to treat each other with respect may decrease bullying and the negative effects that it can have on their health and weight.

To learn more about this recent research, click here.