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Study reveals schools failing to address most common form of bullying: Weight-based victimisation

Schoolchildren in a library image by rawpixel.com

image by rawpixel.com

Press release issued: 3 June 2025

A concerning gap in school anti-bullying policies has been revealed in a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study by the University of Bristol and University of Bath. While weight-based bullying is reportedly the most common form experienced by students, fewer than 7% of schools in southwest England explicitly address it in their anti-bullying policies according to the study published in BMC Public Health.

The study team audited 255 secondary school policies across seven local authorities. They found schools are significantly more likely to name other forms of bullying, such as race, religion or sexual orientation, while neglecting to mention weight.

Bullying in relation to appearance was mentioned in just under half of the policies reviewed. However, the researchers argue that this is too general as a category. It could encompass identifiers of race, religion, sexual orientation and other physical characteristics, as well as weight.

Dr Beki Langford, Lecturer in Public Mental Health at the University of Bristol and senior researcher on the project, said: “Weight is far more likely to be the reason a child is bullied, yet most school policies don’t even mention it. This disconnect may be unhelpful by not sending a clear message that weight-related bullying is wrong.”

Key findings:

  • Only 6.7% of anti-bullying policies mentioned weight-related bullying specifically
  • Just under half (48.6%) mentioned bullying in relation to appearance
  • By contrast, race (94.5%), sexual orientation (93.3%) and gender (85.9%) were far more frequently cited
  • Private schools were three times more likely than state schools to mention weight-based bullying (17.5% vs. 6.1%)
  • None of the 67 special schools included references to weight-related bullying

The study suggests that schools are heavily guided by the UK Equality Act 2010, which does not list weight as a protected characteristic. As a result, some policies include categories less relevant to school-aged children - such as marital status - more frequently than weight.

Researchers argue that explicitly including weight in anti-bullying policies is a simple yet powerful step. US-based studies show that specific policy wording can reduce weight bias and victimisation, particularly when combined with staff training.

Dr Lis Grey, Research Fellow at the University of Bristol and ARC West and co-lead of the study, added: “Teachers want to address this issue but often lack the confidence or training. Naming weight explicitly in policies is just the beginning. Schools must be equipped with the tools and support to make these policies meaningful.”

Recommendations:

  1. Policy inclusion: Schools should explicitly reference weight-related bullying in anti-bullying policies.
  2. Training and resources: Materials and training on identifying and addressing weight-related bullying should be co-developed with students, staff, and expert organisations.
  3. Impact evaluation: Changes in policy language and efforts to address weight-related bullying must be accompanied by rigorous evaluation of their effectiveness.

The researchers call for national attention on this overlooked form of discrimination, urging schools, policymakers, and education authorities to close the gap between policy and pupils' lived experiences.

The study was supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West and the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU).

Paper 

Weight-related bullying in schools: a review of school anti-bullying policies’ by Amanda Hughes, Elisabeth Grey, Rebecca Langford et al. in BMC Public Health [open access]

Further information

About the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

  • Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
  • Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
  • Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
  • Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
  • Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
  • Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.

The NIHR is the research partner of the NHS, public health and social care. 

About the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West)
The NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (ARC West) conducts applied health research with its partners and others in the health and care sector, alongside patients and members of the public. Applied health research aims to address the immediate issues facing the health and social care system. ARC West also helps bring research evidence into practice and provides training for the local workforce.

About the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU)
The MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol conducts some of the UK's most advanced population health science research. It uses genetics, population data and experimental interventions to look for the underlying causes of chronic disease. The unit exploits the latest advances in genetic and epigenetic technologies. They develop new analytic methods to improve our understanding of how our family background behaviours and genes interact to influence health outcomes.

 

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