Obesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls, says new study

Press/Media: Research

Description

Obesity in adolescent girls is associated with lower academic attainment levels throughout their teenage years, a new study has shown.

The research conducted by the Universities of Dundee, Strathclyde, Georgia and Bristol is the most comprehensive study yet carried out into the association between obesity and academic attainment in adolescence. The results are published in the International Journal of Obesity.

The results showed that girls who were obese, as measured by BMI (body mass index) at age 11 had lower academic attainment at 11, 13 and 16 years when compared to those of a healthy weight. The study took into account possible mediating factors but found that these did not affect the overall results.

Attainment in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science for obese girls was lower by an amount equivalent to a D instead of a C, which was the average in the sample.

Associations between obesity and academic attainment were less clear in boys.

“There is a clear pattern which shows that girls who are in the obese range are performing more poorly than their counterparts in the healthy weight range throughout their teenage years,” said Dr Josie Booth, of the School of Psychology at the University of Dundee.

Prof John Reilly, University of Strathclyde, the Principal Investigator of the study, said “Further work is needed to understand why obesity is negatively related to academic attainment, but it is clear that teenagers, parents, and policymakers in education and public health should be aware of the lifelong educational and economic impact of obesity.”

The study examined data from almost 6000 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), including academic attainment assessed by national tests at 11, 13 and 16 years and weight status. 71.4% were healthy weight (1935 male, 2325 female), 13.3% overweight (372 male, 420 female) and 15.3% obese (448 male, 466 female).

The researchers took into account potentially distorting factors such as socio-economic deprivation, mental health, IQ and age of menarche (onset of the menstrual cycle) but found these did not change the relationship between obesity and academic attainment.

This study was funded through a BUPA Foundation grant to the University of Strathclyde. ALSPAC receives core support from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol.

School of Psychology

Period11 Mar 2014

Media coverage

28

Media coverage

  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletDiabetesincontrol.com (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date20/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleOverweight girls are more likely to fail their exams
    Media name/outletThe Times
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity linked to poorer grades
    Media name/outletThe Herald
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity hits girls' exams, study says
    Media name/outletThe Courier
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleGirls who are obese at 11 get lower exam grades
    Media name/outletDaily Mail
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese girls are a grade behind classmates
    Media name/outletDaily Telegraph
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese girls a year behind healthier classmates, study finds
    Media name/outletMother & Child (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity linked with poor academic performance in girls
    Media name/outletRedorbit (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity impairs academic attainment in adolescence
    Media name/outletTeaching Times (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity linked to low academic scores
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletThe Times of India
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity teenage girls are lower academic achievers: study
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletIndian Express
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity linked to lower grades among teen girls
    Media name/outletWGBH News (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity in teenage girls linked to poor school grades
    Media name/outletNDTV Cooks (internet)
    Media typeTelevision
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese 11-year-old girls 'get lower school grades'
    Media name/outletNHS Choices (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date12/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleHeavier teen girls `struggle at exams'
    Media name/outletEvening Telegraph
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletBBC Radio Scotland
    Media typeRadio
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletRadio Tay
    Media typeRadio
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletWave 102FM
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletKingdom FM
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletSTV
    Media typeTelevision
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls
    Media name/outletRadio Clyde
    Media typeRadio
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleStudy links obesity in teenage girls with lower academic results
    Media name/outletBBC (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese teenagers performing less well at school study reveals
    Media name/outletBristol Post
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • Title

    Link between obesity & poor grades in adolescent girls

    Media name/outletITV
    Media typeTelevision
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese girls prone to poorer grades, study suggests
    Media name/outletHealth Day (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity weighing down your grades?
    Media name/outletThe Gist (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObese girls prone to poorer grades, study suggests
    Media name/outletMedlinePlus (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth
  • TitleObesity associated with lower academic attainment in teenage girls, says new study
    Media name/outletScience Newsline (internet)
    Media typeWeb
    Date11/03/14
    PersonsJosie Booth