Does Obesity Affect Children’s Education?

For children 2-19 years old, Hispanics (25.8%) and non- Hispanic Blacks (22%) had higher obesity prevalence than non- Hispanic Whites (14.1%). Non- Hispanic Asians (11%) had lower obesity prevalence than non- Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics. The prevalence of obesity was 18.5% and affected about 13.7 million children and adolescents. Obesity prevalence was 13.9% for children 2-5 years old, 18.4% for children 6-11 years old, and 20.6% for children 12-19 years old. Obesity is more common among certain populations. There are more than 3 million U.S. cases per year for child obesity. 

            Some factors that contribute to childhood obesity are genetics, metabolism, eating and physical activity behavior, short sleep duration, and negative childhood events. Childhood obesity can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Obese children and teenagers can face many health problems like an increased risk of diabetes, heart attacks, and certain cancers. Health problems associated with childhood obesity like asthma, diabetes, and sleeping problems can interfere with schoolwork or cause kids to miss school. 

            Other factors that can contribute to obesity are personal influences, social influences, and environmental influences. Studies have found that obese students tend to have lower test scores than their slimmer peers. They are also more likely to be held back a grade and are less likely to go to college. Being obese could weaken social skills if a child becomes isolated due to bullying. Poor social skills could also lead to sadness, which could lead to poor eating habits and weight gain if a child turns to food for comfort. 

            Some ways you could prevent or help children and adolescents dealing with obesity is to improve the entire family’s diet and exercise habits. By providing meals, physical activity, and health education, school policies can help prevent childhood obesity. Some more ways to prevent child obesity is to make a favorite dish healthier, drink lots of water, incorporate healthy snacks into the child’s diet, make sure they get at least one hour of physical activity per day, and limit their screen time.