First off, you may be right that your friends are just kidding around and don't mean any harm, but it could also be a bit of jealousy on their part. Real, understanding friends will stop if you tell them that it makes you a little uncomfortable that they pick on something you consider a flaw. If they continue they are not the positive people you should be around, although I know old habits die hard and it is hard to find new friends, if they are so shallow that they wont understand that it hurts your feelings, they are not good for your self esteem. Talk to your doc about your weight and body image and point out specifically the problem area. She may have some advice! Also, don't forget, you are a teenager and your body is doing weird things right now. Seriously, in a year that tummy flab might go away and you'll find a bigger set of breasts, or your hips may spread wider and your waste will look smaller. I tell you, from 9 years old (when I started developing and needed my first bra - talk about getting teased!) to my early 20s I could never tell from year to year where my body would change! Even if you hit menses (first period) years ago, you are still in puberty and have a long way to go with it! The hardest thing, but the best thing, is to find one or two features about yourself you really like and draw attention to them! Despite body changes I've always had stunning eyes and a great smile (never even needed braces or whiteners). I used makeup (nothing extreem, just flattering) to draw attention away from what I thought were my flaws (I also thought I had belly fat that I felt was so obvious) and to what I felt were my best assets!!! Look closely and you will find the beauty in you! And do what's best for your body, not whats best for your looks, because if you lose more weight than you should, but your body likes to store it's fat in your belly, you might find things shrinking instead that you really don't want to have shrink... if you know what I mean!