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Overweight and Obesity Impair Academic Performance in Adolescence: A National Cohort Study of 10,279 Adolescents in China
Author(s) -
Ma Lu,
Gao Liwang,
Chiu Dorothy T.,
Ding Yixin,
Wang Youfa,
Wang Weidong
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.22801
Subject(s) - overweight , medicine , obesity , normal weight , academic achievement , demography , adolescent obesity , pediatrics , gerontology , psychology , developmental psychology , sociology
Objective This study aimed to examine the associations of overweight and obesity (ov/ob) and changes in weight status with academic performance among Chinese adolescents. Methods Self‐reported weight and height were collected from adolescents ( n = 10,279) each year from seventh grade (baseline, 2013‐2014) to ninth grade (2015‐2016). Academic performance included standardized scores on math, Chinese, and English examinations and responses to a school‐life experience scale. Results All adolescents with ov/ob had lower academic performance than their counterparts without overweight (β = −0.46 to −0.08; P < 0.05), except for school‐life experience for boys. All adolescents with obesity had lower academic performance than their counterparts without obesity (β = −0.46 to −0.17; P < 0.01), except for English test scores for boys. Changes in weight status between grades 7 and 9 impacted academic performance at grade 9. Adolescents with ov/ob throughout grades 7 to 9 and those who developed ov/ob from normal weight had lower test scores (β = −0.80 to −0.25; P < 0.05) than those who maintained normal weight. Those who developed ov/ob after having normal weight had poorer school‐life experiences (β = −0.55 to −0.25; P < 0.05). Conclusions Ov/ob and maintaining and developing ov/ob had adverse academic impacts on adolescents. Relevant stakeholders should consider detrimental impacts of obesity on academic outcomes.