In childhood obesity, mental and emotional health issues play a very large role because of the inherently reciprocal nature of the relationship. Often, those very same mental and emotional health issues can be partly of physical origin. We occupy flesh and blood bodies that produce vital signs, so it could hardly be otherwise.
There are all sorts of possibilities. If a problem originates and is situated in a physical location on the body, it might grow another side and manifest more seriously in the mind. Or, something going on in the mind could show up as a physical result, like obesity.
There are people who consciously choose physical habits that aren’t “good for them,” knowing full well that whatever the consequences may be, they are not as frightening as the potentially alternative conditions like nightmares, a tendency to weep spontaneously, or a socially embarrassing tic. Compared to a lot of potentially miserable situations, getting fat is not a steep price to pay for sanity.
Depending on current circumstances, a person might be very grateful to have two possibilities. Sometimes, choosing the lesser of two evils is the only way out. Remember the impossibly trite but infinitely wise saying “It is what it is”?
It is what it is
One way or another, thinking about these matters too much can be inconvenient, or even dangerous. A mental/emotional roadblock can exist, then morph into a different class of problem… like one with a physical result… like obesity.
It is unfortunate, but even someone whose head is in pretty good shape can self-sabotage by just habitually, unthinkingly eating too much unconsidered food. Then, the resulting obesity can adversely affect that person’s mental and/or emotional health. Then, the resulting stress can lead this individual to eat more… and so on, back and forth… for 50, 60, or 70 years.
Something different
The National University of Singapore recently presented the public art exhibition titled VOICE, short for “Visualising Obesity’s Impact from Childhood Experiences.” Created by researchers, artists, and college students, the event’s basic idea originated with research from highly respected institutions. The show attracted a great deal of favorable attention, and not just in academic circles. The impetus behind it was research that examined…
[…] how childhood obesity is experienced as a complex social and psychological phenomenon, and shaped by family dynamics, school environments and broader societal norms.
Not surprisingly, this ambitious goal turned out to be a tall order. It has never been easy to overcome the twisted societal expectations that impose a burden on any class of people. Such deep-seated prejudices have dimensions and aspects that are easily and often overlooked when they become a seamlessly integrated feature of the culture.
The creators told the press that the informal format “allows audiences to engage with these stories at their own pace, creating space for reflection, empathy and deeper understanding.” Interactive exhibits included one that offered the visitor an opportunity to write down a slur that might be used against an overweight person, and display it on a wire sculpture:
[T]he exhibition presents an immersive collection of photographs, 3D-printed artifacts and personal narratives. Together, these works invite reflection on how everyday language, social attitudes and intervention approaches around weight can leave lasting impressions on children as they grow up.
In other words, to bend the twig will influence the shape of the tree, just as it always has done and will continue to do.
Other layers
One aim of the free-admission art show was “to open up conversations beyond physical health.” Another was to guide viewers toward looking “beyond physical health outcomes to consider how early experiences can shape wellbeing into adulthood.”
Many participants recounted how seemingly casual remarks about weight, repeated pressure to lose weight without guidance, or public scrutiny of their bodies contributed to feelings of shame, isolation, and low self-worth. They disliked the sensation of being labeled, observed as if they were lab animals, or otherwise stigmatized.
For some reason, Singapore is perceived as a particularly dicey part of the world for obese people to live in. Dr. Jumana Hashim told the press,
While ample research has been done to uncover the risk to physical health, there is a gap in the understanding of how living with obesity can impact mental health…
This is why we dive in to understand the people, places and processes that shape these experiences so that we can inform future weight management interventions, ensuring we don’t perpetuate the risk of any unintended mental health consequences.
Attendees were invited to consider and create art about such aspects as the labels that society is all too eager to bestow upon its overweight members. Among outcomes and results that are to be hoped for and worked toward are “positive, empathetic communication by parents, teachers and others, and to avoid language and practices that reinforce stigma or shame.”
Prof. Leonard Lee noted “the importance of empathy-focused, multi-level interventions that involve families, educators and healthcare practitioners, rather than placing responsibility solely on children.” Prof. Lee also emphasized that weight management efforts need to be presented “in ways that are sensitive to children’s mental and emotional wellbeing.”
Meanwhile, afflicted humans will continue to cultivate mental and emotional resilience, formulate coping strategies, and find sources of support.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Shining the spotlight on the hidden mental health impact of childhood obesity,” ews.nus.edu.sg, 01/30/26
Image by Roman Biernacki/Pexels
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