A research has found that chubby kids are at a greater risk of being bullied compared to normal kids. This was confirmed by researchers of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor after analyzing 821 bullying incidents among children aged 8 to 11.

The latest study was published online in Pediatrics journal. It found that obese children were bullied more than other children and this was regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status, social skills or academic achievement.

It establishes that obese children have to suffer from prejudiced behavior. They are also perceived as lazy and lacking self-control. It also pointed that bullied children suffered from enhanced levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness compared to other children.

Researchers advised parents to educate their children not to indulge in bullying of any kind. It also advised parents to encourage children to communicate their feelings and to reveal the way they are being treated by other kids.

As a part of this research, teachers, mothers, as well as children filled questionnaires with questions related to bullying. It also had teachers and mothers rate children according to their social skills.

The study pointed out that just being obese or overweight increased the chances of bullying significantly for a child. Researchers also advised teachers, parents and education experts to find ways and means to reduce bullying and also to make children understand the importance of behaving properly with other children.