Every fifth child in Luxembourg is overweight

Obesity and excess weight are frequently difficult topics to address publicly, with people affected often suffering from feelings of guilt and shame, or fearing the reaction. However, many overweight people, particularly children and young people, can become victims of bullying, meaning it is important to openly discuss the subject.

Bullying frequently reinforces poor self-image and pre-existing negative feelings about the victim's body, according to psychologists. This in turn can trigger stress, depression and anxiety, which can cause children to over-eat. Obesity is therefore not only a chronic disease, but also part of a vicious circle.

In order to treat obesity in children, there are multidisciplinary medical teams including paediatricians, dietitians and psychologists, all of whom work closely together to help their patients.

14-year-old Yara Loureiro Barbosa was bullied from a young age at school due to her weight, and ended up asking her parents for mental health support, as she was struggling with the consequences.

She says she has since learned to accept her body, but still wants to lose weight so she feels more comfortable. Yara, who attends a school in France, says she opted to share her experience on camera in order to show other young bullying victims that they don't have to hide and that they shouldn't feel too ashamed to ask for support - either for their weight, or for the bullying.

Report in Luxembourgish: