[Gender and obesity--what does "being fat" mean to boys and girls?]

Boys and girls show the same prevalence of overweight and obesity. Disproportionate weight gain may already start in very young children but usually develops during school age and puberty. Despite great differences in sex hormones girls and boys are equally affected by overweight and obesity even during puberty. Comorbidity in general also has a similar prevalence. However, there are certain sex differences. Boys are more prone to steatohepatitis whereas girls more commonly develop gall stones and pseudotumor cerebri. Quality of life in respect to health is impaired in all children and adolescents with obesity. This impairment is comparable to children with oncologic diseases. In contrast, psychiatric and psychosocial comorbidity is far more common in obese girls than boys. This includes eating disorders such as binge eating. Obese girls are also four times more likely to become a victim of peer aggression compared to obese boys or non-obese girls. Obese boys on the other hand are more likely to become media dependent.