Associations between Family Weight-Based Teasing, Eating Pathology, and Psychosocial Functioning among Adolescent Military Dependents

Arielle T. Pearlman, Natasha A. Schvey, M. K. Higgins Neyland, Senait Solomon, Kathrin Hennigan, Rachel Schindler, William Leu, Dakota Gillmore, Lisa M. Shank, Jason M. Lavender, Natasha L. Burke, Denise E. Wilfley, Tracy Sbrocco, Mark Stephens, Sarah Jorgensen, David Klein, Jeffrey Quinlan and Marian Tanofsky-Kraff
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Arielle T. Pearlman: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Natasha A. Schvey: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
M. K. Higgins Neyland: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Senait Solomon: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Kathrin Hennigan: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Rachel Schindler: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
William Leu: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Dakota Gillmore: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Lisa M. Shank: Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Program (MiCOR), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Jason M. Lavender: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Natasha L. Burke: Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
Denise E. Wilfley: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Tracy Sbrocco: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Mark Stephens: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Old Main, State College, PA 16801, USA
Sarah Jorgensen: Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA
David Klein: Department of Family Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Jeffrey Quinlan: Department of Family Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Marian Tanofsky-Kraff: Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Weight-based teasing (WBT) by family members is commonly reported among youth and is associated with eating and mood-related psychopathology. Military dependents may be particularly vulnerable to family WBT and its sequelae due to factors associated with their parents’ careers, such as weight and fitness standards and an emphasis on maintaining one’s military appearance; however, no studies to date have examined family WBT and its associations within this population. Therefore, adolescent military dependents at-risk for adult obesity and binge-eating disorder were studied prior to entry in a weight gain prevention trial. Youth completed items from the Weight-Based Victimization Scale (to assess WBT by parents and/or siblings) and measures of psychosocial functioning, including the Beck Depression Inventory-II, The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Social Adjustment Scale. Eating pathology was assessed via the Eating Disorder Examination interview, and height and fasting weight were measured to calculate BMI z . Analyses of covariance, adjusting for relevant covariates including BMI z , were conducted to assess relationships between family WBT, eating pathology, and psychosocial functioning. Participants were 128 adolescent military dependents (mean age: 14.35 years old, 54% female, 42% non-Hispanic White, mean BMI z : 1.95). Nearly half the sample (47.7%) reported family WBT. Adjusting for covariates, including BMI z , family WBT was associated with greater eating pathology, poorer social functioning and self-esteem, and more depressive symptoms ( ps ≤ 0.02). Among military dependents with overweight and obesity, family WBT is prevalent and may be linked with eating pathology and impaired psychosocial functioning; prospective research is needed to elucidate the temporal nature of these associations.

Keywords: weight-based teasing; adolescents; military dependents; eating pathology; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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