Peer victimization as a predictor of depression and body mass index in obese and non‐obese adolescents

Abstract

The current study suggests that a risk-factor for being victimized, such as obesity, may play an important role in the long-term effects of victimization by making it more likely that the adolescent will be victimized over the long term but also that victimization can reinforce the negative self-perceptions that the adolescent already has. It is important to go beyond using obesity as a predictor of long-term adjustment and examine the processes and experiences of obese individuals that might more directly cause depression or changes in health.