Effects of Bullying Last Into Middle Age

It's not a revelation that bullying takes a toll—mental, physical, or both—on kids who are victims. But a major new British study suggests that the ill effects are still evident right through age 50, reports Reuters. Middle-aged adults who were bullied as kids tend to be in worst physical and psychological shape than their peers, according to findings from the British National Child Development Study. Its researchers have tracked 8,000 babies born in 1958 over the course of their lives.

The research shows that kids who were bullied frequently were twice as likely to be suffering from depression at age 45, reports the Independent. They were also more likely to be unemployed, less likely to be in a relationship, and generally prone to a lower quality of life. "Teachers, parents and policy-makers should be aware that what happens in the school playground can have long-term repercussions," says one psychiatry professor involved with the research. (More bullying stories.)