John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA.
J Sch Health. 2011 Jul;81(7):400-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00608.x.
Childhood obesity has been linked with other persistent health problems, but research is just beginning to examine its relationship with academic performance. This article tracks students longitudinally to examine the ways student physical fitness and changes in fitness align with school performance.
Using matched administrative data and individual growth modeling, we examine the relationship between academic achievement and overall physical fitness longitudinally from fourth to seventh and sixth to ninth grades for students in a California community.
Comparing those who are persistently fit to those who are persistently unfit, we find disparities in both math and English language arts test scores. These academic disparities begin even before students begin fitness testing in fifth grade and are larger for girls and Latinos. Overall physical fitness is a better predictor of academic achievement than obesity as measured by body mass index. Socioeconomic status acts as a buffer for those who have poor physical fitness but strong academic performance.
The findings indicate the presence of a physical fitness achievement gap that has consequences for potential students' future educational and health outcomes. This gap begins as early as fourth grade, which is before physical fitness testing begins in California.
儿童肥胖与其他持续性健康问题有关，但研究才刚刚开始研究其与学业成绩的关系。本文通过纵向跟踪学生，考察学生身体健康状况及其变化与学校表现之间的关系。
利用匹配的行政数据和个体增长模型，我们从四年级到七年级和六年级到九年级，对加利福尼亚社区的学生进行了学业成绩与整体身体健康状况的纵向关系研究。
将一直保持健康的学生与一直保持不健康的学生进行比较，我们发现数学和英语语言艺术考试成绩存在差异。这些学业差距甚至在学生在五年级开始进行体能测试之前就已经存在，而且对于女孩和拉丁裔学生来说差距更大。与身体质量指数（BMI）衡量的肥胖相比，整体身体健康状况是学业成绩更好的预测指标。社会经济地位对于那些身体健康状况不佳但学业成绩优异的学生起到了缓冲作用。
研究结果表明，存在体能成绩差距，这对潜在学生未来的教育和健康结果产生了影响。这一差距早在四年级就出现了，此时加利福尼亚州才开始进行体能测试。
