Obesity is well known for creating health issues, but now scientists believe it can effect academic ability. A University of Missouri researcher, Sara Gable, has conducted a study into the link between obesity in students and a reduction in Math skills. A total of 6,000 students were studied at various points in time from kindergarten through to fifth grade. Five times during that period data such as weight, teachers reports on social behavior, details of family and academic tests.
Gable noticed there was a connection between students who were obese and their inability to perform well during a Math test, when compared to students who were an average weight for their age.
The negative effects of obesity on the student’s Math ability isn’t noticed until the first grade. Gable said; “Our study suggests that obesity in the early years of school, especially obesity that persists across the elementary grades, can harm children’s social and emotional well-being and academic performance. These findings illustrate the complexity of relations among children’s weight status, social and emotional well-being, academics, and time.”
The longer the child remains obese, the worse they seemed to perform academically. Students who were obese throughout the study period scored less on the final test.
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