The association between higher body mass index and poor school performance in high school students.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and school performance in high school students by controlling for relevant mediators such as sleep quality, sleep duration and socioeconomic status.


METHODS
Thirty-seven high school students (mean age: 18.16 ± 0.44 years) attending the same school type, i.e. 'liceo scientifico' (science-based high school), were enrolled. Students' self-reported weight and height were used to calculate BMI. Participants wore an actigraph to objectively assess the quality and duration of sleep. School performance was assessed through the actual grade obtained at the final school-leaving exam, in which higher grades indicate higher performance.


RESULTS
BMI, get-up time, mean motor activity, wake after sleep onset and number of awakenings were negatively correlated with the grade, while sleep efficiency was positively correlated. When performing a multiple regression analysis, BMI proved the only significant (negative) predictor of grade.


CONCLUSIONS
When controlling for sleep quality, sleep duration and socioeconomic status, a higher BMI is associated with a poorer school performance in high school students.
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
L
L
Tonetti
Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy.
M
M
Fabbri
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
M
M
Filardi
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
M
M
Martoni
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
V
V
Natale
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012574:Schools; D057566:Self Report; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students
Body mass index; school performance; sleep duration; sleep quality