Teens, remember: you are what you think. If you believe you're overweight today, there's a good chance that you'll be obese later in life, according to a study.
Never discount the power of the mind as it's highly possible that what you've been thinking becomes a reality. According to a research conducted by psychological scientist Angelina Sutin of Florid State University, with Antonio Terraciano as co-author.
Many teens suffer from mild to severe body issues, perhaps feeling the pressure of peers and definition of physical beauty of modern society. Usually, those who believe that they are fat are at higher risk of developing an eating disorder such as bulimia and anorexia.
However, based on the study, it's also possible that they will only weigh more as they age. This could be because they will resort to vomiting or weight loss products. While these may help in short-term weight loss, they are ineffective in the long term. And because they haven't trained themselves how to lose weight properly, they will struggle keeping a healthy weight. The researchers also believed that they are less likely to impose self-control when it comes to eating.
For the study, they looked into the medical data of over 6,000 young teens from 16 to 28 years. They identified their self-perceived images of their body, height, and weight. Those who had the wrong perception-that is, they believed that they were overweight-increased their risk of obesity by 40%.
Interestingly the risk is higher in boys than in girls. The risk of becoming obese soars to 89%. As to why, the researchers could not provide a specific answer, although they hypothesized that girls are more likely to be more attentive or aware of any weight gain, compelling them to take the necessary actions right away. It's also possible that since girls tend to gain weight faster, they receive immediate assistance from their doctors.
