- "Angry" teenagers could be storing up health
problems for the future, according to scientists.
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- A study in the US has found teenagers who have problems
controlling anger are more likely to gain weight.
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- Speaking at the American Heart Association's annual meeting
in San Francisco, they said those who suppress angry feelings are also
at risk.
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- People who are overweight or obese are more likely to
develop problems like heart disease and diabetes.
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- Dealing with anger
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- Doctors from the University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston studied 160 children between the ages of 14 and 17 for three
years.
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- They used psychological tests to measure how well they
dealt with anger.
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- They found that teenagers who could control their anger
and responded appropriately when angry were more likely to have lower body
mass indexes.
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- Those who had problems with anger, whether it was suppressing
their feelings or losing their temper, were more likely to be overweight.
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- "Unhealthy ways of expressing anger are associated
with overweight," said Professor William Mueller, lead author of the
study.
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- "Problems expressing anger can translate into eating
disorders and increased weight, which leads to a high risk of cardiovascular
disease at a young age."
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- He said the findings could have implications for doctors.
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- "We're suggesting that it is important to look at
the emotional health of kids," he said.
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- "It's beyond just diet and exercise. We need to
look at the broader sociological picture.
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- "If they feel good about resolving interpersonal
stress and learn to decrease conflict, these skills will spill over into
their general lifestyle."
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- Mike Fisher from the British Association of Anger Management
said many teenagers have anger management issues.
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- "Around 50% of the calls we receive are from parents
who are concerned about their children," he told BBC News Online.
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- "Many of the teenagers we see are lean rather than
overweight. However, the situation is different for adults.
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- "Many do use overeating to anaesthetise their feelings."
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- © BBC MMIV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3535783.stm
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