ArticlePediatric obesity2023
Mediators of the association between childhood body mass index and educational attainment: Analysis of a UK prospective cohort study.
Article in Pediatric obesity, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Active Video Gaming and Obesity in Children 6-12 Years Old: A Systematic Review.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Review
- Understanding How Childhood Obesity Influences Educational Outcomes: A Literature Review.Cureus · 2026Review
- Mediators of the association between childhood body mass index and educational attainment: Analysis of a UK prospective cohort study.Pediatric obesity · 2023Article
- Molecular mediators of the association between child obesity and mental health.Frontiers in genetics · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundHigher body mass index (BMI) in childhood is associated with lower academic achievement.
objectiveTo explore potential pathways linking childhood BMI with educational attainment.
methodsUsing 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.
resultsHigher 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.
conclusionsThe 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.
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