Journal Article

Weight enumeration in United States anti-bullying laws

Puhl, Rebecca M., Schacter, Hannah L., Lessard, Leah M., Watson, Ryan J., Wheldon, Christopher W.

2022

Overview

Weight-based bullying is among the most prevalent forms of peer harassment and carries significant health consequences—particularly among adolescents who identify as a sexual and/or gender minority (SGM). We examined how anti-bullying legislation that includes weight as a protected class (enumeration) contributes to the prevalence of weight-based bullying and its adverse health sequelae among SGM adolescents. We collected data on weight-based bullying and health risk (stress, unhealthy eating behaviors, self-rated health) from the LGBTQ National Teen Survey and linked these to state anti-bullying legislation obtained from the United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services. Weight-based bullying was less frequent, but associated with greater health risk for SGM adolescents in states with, versus without, weight-enumerated anti-bullying laws. Adding weight as a protected class in anti-bullying legislation may be an effective strategy for reducing weightbased bullying, but additional supports are needed to support adolescents who continue to experience weight-based bullying.

• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media,Palgrave Macmillan UK,Palgrave Macmillan
• Subject: Adolescent / Adolescents / Bullying / Complications / Eating behavior / Enumeration / Equality and Human Rights / Gender / Gender Identity / Harassment / Health behavior / Health risk assessment / Health risks / Health services / Health status / Healthy food / Humans / Legislation / LGBTQ people / Medical Sociology / Mental health services / Occupational safety / ORIGINAL ARTICLE / Public Health / Self evaluation / Sexual and Gender Minorities / Sexual Behavior / Social Justice / Social Policy / Social Sciences / Sociology / Teenagers / United States - epidemiology / Weight reduction