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Social Competence and Obesity in Elementary School
Sandra L Jackson1, Solveig A Cunningham
1At the time of writing, Sandra L. Jackson was a doctoral student in the Nutrition and Health Sciences Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Solveig A. Cunningham is with the Hubert Department of Global Health, Emory University.
American Journal of Public Health
|November 14, 2014
Summary
Children with better social skills in third grade were less likely to become overweight or obese by fifth grade. Higher social competence also helped obese children lose weight, highlighting the link between social skills and weight management.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Public Health
- Developmental Science
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
- Social competence is crucial for children's overall well-being and development.
- Understanding the interplay between social skills and weight status in children is vital for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bidirectional relationship between children's weight status and social competence.
- To examine how social competence influences the development of overweight and obesity in children.
- To determine if social competence affects weight changes in children already classified as overweight or obese.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999.
- Analyzed a nationally representative sample of 8346 children from third to fifth grade.
- Employed statistical analyses, including odds ratios, to assess associations between weight and social competence.
Main Results:
- Third-grade obesity did not predict changes in social competence by fifth grade.
- Higher third-grade social competence was linked to reduced odds of becoming overweight or obese by fifth grade.
- Obese children with greater social competence showed increased likelihood of weight loss between third and fifth grade.
Conclusions:
- Childhood obesity and social competence deficits frequently co-occur, impacting children's health.
- Social competence may play a protective role against the development of childhood obesity.
- Interventions targeting social development could potentially aid in reducing childhood obesity rates.
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