Longitudinal associations among change in overweight status, fear of negative evaluation, and weight-related teasing among obese adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To examine longitudinal bidirectional associations between changes in adolescents' weight status and psychosocial constructs. METHOD 118 obese adolescents aged 13-16 years participated in a behavioral weight control intervention. Percent overweight (OW), fear of negative evaluation (FNE), and frequency of weight-related teasing (WRT) were collected at baseline, end of intervention, and 12 and 24 months post-randomization. 3 multivariate latent change score models were estimated to examine longitudinal cross-lagged associations between: (1) OW and FNE; (2) OW and WRT; and (3) FNE and WRT. RESULTS Decreases in OW were prospectively associated with subsequent decreases in both FNE and WRT; however, changes in FNE and WRT were not prospectively associated with subsequent change in OW. Decreases in FNE were prospectively associated with subsequent decreases in WRT. CONCLUSION Moderate weight loss in the context of a behavioral weight control intervention has positive long-term implications for obese adolescents' peer relations.