Overweight and Obese Children are at Increased Risk for Failure to “Thrive” and Difficulties with Peer Relationships

Abstract

Purpose: Children who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for psychosocial challenges. The 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) provides an opportunity to evaluate the impact of weight status on two newly added measures of psychosocial functioning. “Flourishing” (otherwise known as “thriving”) was introduced in the 2011/12 NSCH and then substantially revised in the 2016 NSCH. It is a composite measure to reflect resilience, self-regulation, and curiosity and discovery about learning. In terms of peer relations, the 2016 NSCH not only continues to ask if …