Psychosocial problems are the most prevalent form of morbidity associated with childhood obesity.
While these problems are most evident during adolescence, they are appearing at primary school age and in girls more than boys. 62 Perception of obesity Children in First World countries are rapidly socialised into a rejection of obesity. They perceive fatness as less acceptable than a variety of obvious and limiting physical disabilities. Fat body shapes are most likely to be branded as lazy, less intelligent, socially isolated, and unhealthy. However, holding these negative attitudes does not necessarily generalise to children's self-perception in that overweight children rarely describe themselves in such a derogatory way.