title: Exploring the Potential of a School Impact on Pupil Weight Status: Exploratory Factor Analysis and Repeat Cross-Sectional Study of the National Child Measurement Programme.
abstract: Schools are common sites for obesity prevention interventions. Although many theories suggest that the school context influences weight status, there has been little empirical research. The objective of this study was to explore whether features of the school context were consistently and meaningfully associated with pupil weight status (overweight or obese). Exploratory factor analysis of routinely collected data on 319 primary schools in Devon, England, was used to identify possible school-based contextual factors. Repeated cross-sectional multilevel analysis of five years (2006/07-2010/11) of data from the National Child Measurement Programme was then used to test for consistent and meaningful associations. Four school-based contextual factors were derived which ranked schools according to deprivation, location, resource and prioritisation of physical activity. None of which were meaningfully and consistently associated with pupil weight status, across the five years. The lack of consistent associations between the factors and pupil weight status suggests that the school context is not inherently obesogenic. In contrast, incorporating findings from education research indicates that schools may be equalising weight status, and obesity prevention research, policy and practice might need to address what is happening outside schools and particularly during the school holidays.
authors.affiliation: Farr Institute @ Scotland and Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, 20 West Richmond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DX, United Kingdom.|Institute of Health Services Research, University of Exeter Medical School (formerly Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry), South Cloisters, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.|Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sport and Health Sciences, St. Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, University of Exeter Medical School (formerly Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry), South Cloisters, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katrina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.affiliation: Children's Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sport and Health Sciences, St. Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, University of Exeter Medical School (formerly Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry), South Cloisters, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, University of Exeter Medical School (formerly Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry), College House, St. Luke's Campus, Exeter EX1 2LU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Henley
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012572:School Health Services; D013334:Students