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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Does weight affect children's test scores and teacher assessments differently?
1Department of Economics, Agnes Scott College Economics, 141 E. College Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, United States.
Economics of Education Review
|September 10, 2013
Summary
Childhood obesity rates have surged, impacting public health. This study reveals children's weight negatively affects teacher-assessed academic performance more than test scores.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric health
- Educational psychology
- Public health
Background:
- Childhood overweight and obesity prevalence has risen significantly in the U.S. over the last 30 years.
- While public health implications are known, the impact on academic outcomes remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between children's weight status and academic outcomes.
- To differentiate the effects on standardized test scores versus teacher assessments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal data from five waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten.
- Analyzed the correlation between children's weight and standardized test scores.
- Examined the association between children's weight and teachers' academic ability evaluations.
Main Results:
- A negative relationship was observed between children's weight and academic performance.
- This negative association was more pronounced in teacher assessments compared to standardized test scores.
Conclusions:
- Children's weight status may influence how teachers perceive their academic abilities.
- The findings suggest a nuanced impact of weight on academic evaluation, differing between objective testing and subjective teacher ratings.
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