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	Six in 10 obese children are victims of bullying and many are missing days from school as a result.</p>
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	More than one-in-three children referred to the obesity service in Temple St Hospital in Dublin had emotional difficulties, a new study has revealed.</p>
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	They suffered low mood, lack of self-esteem and were involved in deliberate self-harm.</p>
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	This makes treating their weight issues more complex, the research led by Dr Samantha Doyle, lecturer in paediatrics in Temple St Hospital, said.</p>
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	&quot;Bullying represents a very big issue within our group,&quot; the study said.</p>
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	&quot;The social stigma attached to obesity clearly plays a big role and this is a barrier to treating obesity,&quot; the findings in the &#39;Irish Medical Journal&#39; revealed.</p>
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	As many as 12pc of the group of 111 children were missing days from school due to bullying.</p>
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	Half of those who were teased were targeted by their peers, but in some cases it was strangers who harassed them.</p>
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	The children with emotional difficulties who were at the start of treatment at the hospital&#39;s W82GO service were seen by the psychologist in the team.</p>
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	In some instances they were sent to the child and adolescent mental health services for ongoing treatment.</p>
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	The incidence of learning difficulties, as reported by parents, was 30pc.</p>
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	Commenting on the prevalence of obesity, the research team said it was a problem of &quot;epidemic proportions&quot;.</p>
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	It spans all social classes and at age nine some 7pc of children are obese and 19pc overweight. &quot;Overweight children are at significantly increased risk of becoming obese adults,&quot; it said.</p>
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	It also said the retrospective review highlights the difficulties faced in treating these children as they have psychological difficulties which can affect their progress and make them a more demanding group of patients.</p>
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	All professionals working with obese children must consider the psychological difficulties they have and the impact it has on their treatment.</p>
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	&quot;Left untreated, the health consequences of obesity are severe - therefore a multi-disciplinary team approach is needed,&quot; it said.</p>
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	The treatment offered by the hospital is a group outpatient family-based lifestyle programme.</p>
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	This is not always suitable as some children have problems with a group setting.</p>
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	Many of the families attending the service whose children have behavioural difficulties are without professional help to support them.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 14th April 2017)<br />
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/obese-youngsters-are-missing-school-due-to-the-misery-of-bullying-35622078.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/obese-youngsters-are-missing-school-due-to-the-misery-of-bullying-35622078.html</a></p>
