title: Weight-related behaviors when children are in school versus on summer breaks: does income matter?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Income disparities in US youth in academic achievement appear to widen during the summer because of discontinued learning among children from lower-income households. Little is known about whether behavioral risk factors for childhood obesity, such as diet and physical activity, also demonstrate a widening difference by income when children are out of school.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from US children in grades 1-12 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2008 (N = 6796) were used to estimate screen time, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and consumption of calories, vegetables, and added sugar. Linear regression was used to compare among children of households ≤185% and >185% poverty, as well as during the school year versus on school breaks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children surveyed during summer breaks consumed fewer vegetables (-0.2 cups/day) and more added sugar (+2.1 teaspoons/day), were more active (+4.6 MVPA minutes/day) and watched more television (+18 minutes/day). However, the nonsignificant interaction between school breaks and income indicated that lower-income students were not "less healthy" than higher-income students during the summer breaks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity-related risk factors were more prevalent during the summer and among lower-income youths, but the income disparity in these behaviors was not exacerbated when schools are not in session.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th Street, rm 481, New York, NY 10032. ycw2102@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Y Claire
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10032. smv2122@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Seanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vine
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th Street, 4th Fl, New York, NY 10032. ah2890@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, rm 730, New York, NY 10032. agr3@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rundle
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, rm 630, New York, NY 10032. jeff.goldsmith@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: diet; income disparity; obesity; physical activity; school health