TY - JOUR

T1 - Mediators of the association between childhood body mass index and educational attainment

T2 - Analysis of a UK prospective cohort study

AU - Bowman, Kirsty

AU - Cadman, Tim

AU - Goncalves Soares, Ana

AU - Robinson, Oliver

AU - Hughes, Amanda

AU - Heron, Jon

AU - Segal, Alexa Blair

AU - Huerta, Maria Carmen

AU - Howe, Laura D.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: Higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood is associated with lower academic achievement. Objective: To explore potential pathways linking childhood BMI with educational attainment. Methods: Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children prospective cohort study (N = 6949), we assessed the association between BMI z-scores at 11.7 years and educational attainment at 16 (General Certificate of Secondary Education [GCSE] results). Depressive symptoms, externalizing behaviours, bullying and school enjoyment were considered as potential mediators. Mediators were examined individually and jointly using sequential causal mediation. Results: Higher BMI z-scores were associated with lower GCSE scores (females β = −3.47 95% CI −5.54, −1.41 males β = −4.33 95% CI −6.73, −1.94). Together, bullying, externalizing symptoms, depressive symptoms and school enjoyment mediated 41.9% of this association in females, and 23.3% in males. In males, evidence for mediation was weak (confidence intervals for all indirect effects spanned the null). In both females and males, most of the mediation was driven by externalizing symptoms. Conclusions: The detrimental effect of higher BMI on educational attainment appears to be partly explained by externalizing behaviours, particularly in females. Interventions to support behavioural problems may help the academic achievement of children with a higher body weight.

AB - Background: Higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood is associated with lower academic achievement. Objective: To explore potential pathways linking childhood BMI with educational attainment. Methods: Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children prospective cohort study (N = 6949), we assessed the association between BMI z-scores at 11.7 years and educational attainment at 16 (General Certificate of Secondary Education [GCSE] results). Depressive symptoms, externalizing behaviours, bullying and school enjoyment were considered as potential mediators. Mediators were examined individually and jointly using sequential causal mediation. Results: Higher BMI z-scores were associated with lower GCSE scores (females β = −3.47 95% CI −5.54, −1.41 males β = −4.33 95% CI −6.73, −1.94). Together, bullying, externalizing symptoms, depressive symptoms and school enjoyment mediated 41.9% of this association in females, and 23.3% in males. In males, evidence for mediation was weak (confidence intervals for all indirect effects spanned the null). In both females and males, most of the mediation was driven by externalizing symptoms. Conclusions: The detrimental effect of higher BMI on educational attainment appears to be partly explained by externalizing behaviours, particularly in females. Interventions to support behavioural problems may help the academic achievement of children with a higher body weight.

KW - ALSPAC

KW - body mass index

KW - children

KW - education attainment

KW - GCSEs

KW - mediation

U2 - 10.1111/ijpo.13014

DO - 10.1111/ijpo.13014

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36823984

AN - SCOPUS:85148575751

VL - 18

JO - Pediatric obesity

JF - Pediatric obesity

SN - 2047-6302

IS - 5

M1 - e13014

ER -