It comes as no surprise (when you consider obesity related illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease) that obese children miss more school. A new study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests a link between childhood obesity and school attendance.
The study, which was published the journal Obesity, studied fourth- to sixth-grade students at nine inner-city Philadelphia elementary schools. Based on the children's BMI (body mass index), which relates height to weight, it was found that obese or overweight children missed 12 days of school during the school year, compared with 10 days for kids with normal weight. Also, the underweight children had the fewest absences, 7.5 on average.
Another reason why obese children may miss school more often is bullying. Research shows that obese students are frequently bullied at school which leads to more frequent absences.