Global and physical self-esteem and body dissatisfaction as mediators of the relationship between weight status and being a victim of bullying Claire L. Fox a, * , Claire V. Farrow b a School of Psychology, University of Keele, Newcastle, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK b Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK Abstract Research has found evidence of a link between being overweight or obese and bullying/peer victim- isation, and also between obesity and adjustment problems such as low self-esteem and body dissatisfac- tion. Studies have also found that adjustment problems can put children at an increased risk of being bullied over time. However, to date the factors that place overweight or obese children at risk of being bullied have been poorly elucidated. Self-report data were collected from a sample of 11e14 year olds (N ¼ 376) about their weight status, about their experiences of three different types of bullying (Verbal, Physical and Social), their global self-worth, self-esteem for physical appearance, and body dissatisfaction. Overweight or obese children reported experiencing significantly more verbal and physical (but not social) bullying than their non-overweight peers. Global self-worth, self-esteem for physical appearance and body dissatisfaction each fully mediated the paths between weight status and being a victim of bullying. Ó 2008 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Obesity; Bullying; Adolescence; Self-esteem; Body dissatisfaction * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ44 1782 733330; fax: þ44 1782 733387. E-mail address: c.fox@psy.keele.ac.uk (C.L. Fox). 0140-1971/$30.00 Ó 2008 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.12.006 Journal of Adolescence 32 (2009) 1287e1301 www.elsevier.com/locate/jado