Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2018
Overweight of adolescent girls is associated with self-mutilative behavior
1Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. kaisa.riala @ oulu.fi
Background:
The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of overweight with suicide ideation, self-mutilative behavior (SMB) and suicide attempts among underage psychiatric inpatient adolescents.
Sampling And Methods:
Data were collected from 439 adolescents (age = 12-17 years) admitted to psychiatric hospitalization between April 2001 and March 2006. Information on adolescents' suicidal behavior and psychiatric DSM-IV diagnoses was obtained by using the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children. An adolescent was defined as overweight if his/her BMI exceeded the 85th percentile BMI in the age- and sex-matched Finnish population.
Results:
Compared to adolescents without overweight, a 2.5-fold likelihood for SMB was found among overweight girls, but not among boys.
Conclusions:
Low self-esteem, depression or dysfunctional emotion regulation may be possible mediating factors between overweight and SMB.
Related Concept Videos
Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Binge Eating Disorders
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Signs of Puberty
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

