Abstract:
This study sought to determine the prevalence of bullying among overweight and obese high school students in
Manila. A total of 395 respondents participated in the study, mostly female students with an average age of 15 years
old. The respondents were selected purposively from four public high schools in Manila. After obtaining the
informed consent, a validated questionnaire was administered that aimed to determine the prevalence of bullying,
perceptions about overweight and obesity, forms of bullying and psycho-social effects of bullying. In-depth
interviews were also conducted to ten selected respondents after completing the questionnaires. The study followed
the sequential mixed method design and data were analyzed using statistical tests and qualitative techniques were
themes and patterns of responses were determined and categorized. The results showed that majority of the
respondents experienced bullying and half of them were bullied because of their weight status. Almost all of the
study population knew what overweight and obesity means, as well as their Body Mass Index (BMI) that serves to
be the indicator of body weight. Perpetrators of bullying were also identified and their classmates were made known
to be the number one source of bullying. Verbal bullying appeared to be statistically significant with other forms of
bullying and females were most likely prone to be the victims of it. There were no significant difference found
between year levels of the participants and forms of bullying experienced. Moreover, anxiety was found to be the
most common psychosocial effect of bullying to the respondents. This study concludes that bullying occurs among
overweight and obese students and it has different and staggering effects that varies from gender to the year level of
respondents.
