The True Weight of Being Mean

Ana Barzowski, Stephanie Kulczycki, Sara Pawloski, Nicolle Scheel & Kaitlyn Taylor
Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing/Dietetic Internship

Introduction Methods Results

The Centers for Disease Control and
the US Department of Education
defined bullying as “any unwanted
aggressive behavior by another that
involves an observed or perceived
power imbalance and is repeated
multiple times or is likely to be
repeated.”
● Bullying has increased
American youth in the
decade.
● Bullying may inflict physical,
psychological, social,
educational harm on the
targeted youth.
● Bullying is a critical problem and
is a threat to adult health
contributing to obesity.1
.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to
determine if there is a relationship
between self perceived weight
status and both electronic and in-
person bullying.
. The variables identified:
This research project was completed
using data from the Freshmen Wellness
Assessment collected at a local high
school. Using the CDC Youth Risk
Behavior Survey:
● Information about height, weight,
and risk behaviors common among
teens was gathered.
in ● The study was approved by the
last Loyola IRB and exempt from requiring
consent; but parents were notified
and could opt their child out if they
or desired
● The assessment was administered by
clinical social workers.
● Students being bullied on school
property (y/n)
● Students being bullied electronically
(y/n)
● Perception of weight status
Data was analyzed using SPSS version
24.0 for categorical variables using Chi-
Square analysis.
.
361 students participated in this
study, 44 students were excluded
due to missing data. 317 students
were included in these results.
Results were as follows:
● 15.73% of students reported they
were bullied on school property:
○ 7% of these students, who
described themselves as
overweight or obese (OWO),
Conclusion
were bullied (p=0.02)
○ 8% of these students, who ● There was a significant difference
described themselves as between self-perceived weight
healthy or underweight (HUW), status of HUW and being bullied
were bullied (p=0.02) on school property.
● 12.99% of students self reported ● There was not a significant
they were bullied electronically: difference between self-
○ 5% of these students, who perceived weight status of HUW
described themselves as and being bullied electronically.
OWO, were bullied (p=0.12) ● To more accurately evaluate this
○ 7% of students, who described relationship, measured data
themselves as HUW, were should have been used instead of
bullied (p=0.12) self-reported.
● Overall, there are slightly more
students who are bullied that
perceive themselves as HUW
(See figure 3).
References
1. StopBullying: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services:
accessed 09/17/2018. Available
from: https://www.stopbullying.gov/at-
risk/effects/index.html