Among the many physical and psychological problems confronted by our obese youth, we can now add one more. Obese preteens are more likely to be bullied than their normal-weight peers.

According to a study published in the May issue of Pediatrics, weight is more important than gender, race and socioeconomic status in predicting who will be the target of bullying among third- to sixth-graders. Rates of bullying among sixth-graders varied depending upon who was the source of the information. Moms reported that 45 percent of their kids were bullied whereas only 25 percent of the kids felt that way.

However, the data were consistent that weight was more important than anything else in determining who would be the object of this emotional cruelty. This is probably not surprising news to the 17 percent of America’s youth who are obese and the many others who are overweight.

Please don’t dismiss bullying as the good natured teasing that we all experienced as kids. I’ve changed my opinion on this issue over the years, as I’ve listened to the emotional torture experienced by kids just trying to get through the day. Children just shouldn’t have to suffer with hurtful name calling, threats, rumors and intimidation.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised at these results, as they are consistent with the discrimination faced by obese adults. Such individuals face bias in employment, portrayals in the media, and perceptions by others. However, while prejudice based upon race or gender is generally socially unacceptable, intolerance due to one’s weight is not.

While race and gender are viewed as beyond an individual’s control, weight problems are seen as self-induced. There is a kind of unspoken permission to ridicule or discriminate against fat people since they are seen as the cause of their condition.

This is a tough issue to navigate with obese kids. I try to reassure these youngsters that their value as a person is not determined by the number on their bathroom scale. We talk about the importance of their academic achievement, relations with family and friends as well as their moral development.Obesity shouldn’t give others permission for cruelty. If we don’t allow kids to make racial or sexist remarks to other children, why would we allow hurtful behavior to obese kids? These youngsters need our support and encouragement, not our ridicule.

Teachers and parents need to be more aggressive in directly confronting this type of behavior. Talk about the judgments that we all tend to make based upon race, gender and weight. Set and enforce a standard that all kids, even obese children, should be treated with respect and caring.

Gregory Ramey, Ph.D., is a child psychologist and vice president for outpatient services at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. For more of his columns, visit www.childrensdayton.org/ramey and join Dr. Ramey on Facebook at www.facebook.com/drgregramey.