| Abstract: | In this study, the authors examined the relationship of 9,471 elementary students' grades in five subject areas (math, reading, language, science, and social studies), their conduct grades, and their scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills (TAKS) Reading, Math, Writing, and Science measures for the 2006–2007 school year as a function of their weight status in two ways: (1) Obese versus Nonobese and (2) Obese, Overweight, Healthy Weight, and Underweight. Obese children had statistically significantly lower course grades in all areas, as well as poorer conduct grades, than nonobese children. Similar results were present for the four TAKS measures. Comparisons of these measures by the four weight categories indicated the presence of trends such that as students' weight increased from one category to the next, their school grades and standardized test scores decreased. Partial correlation analyses, in which the effects of economic disadvantage and conduct grades were controlled, revealed that obesity was related with teacher-assigned grades and with TAKS scores. Interestingly, within ethnic groups, differences were present between obese and nonobese students only for White students and Hispanic students. The implications of these findings, as well as suggestions for further research, are discussed . |
