Timothy A Brusseau1, Ryan D Burns1, You Fu2, R Glenn Weaver3. 1. Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. 2. School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV. 3. Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Abstract
Background: Summer weight gain and fitness loss has been identified as a public health concern for children. The objective of this study was to compare changes in weight status and cardiovascular fitness in children attending year-round and traditional calendar schools. Methods: Participants were 321 children from a traditional and year-round school. BMI and Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) Laps were collected during school. Multilevel general linear mixed-effects models were utilized to examine changes in BMI and PACER over the summer while also considering summer camp and sport participation. Results: Children had higher BMI z-scores during Fall 2018 compared with Spring 2018 (b = 0.09, p = 0.006). This effect was modified by Break Length, as students with 3-week (b = -0.09, p = 0.012) and 7-week breaks (b = -0.10, p = 0.003) displayed attenuated increases in BMI z-scores compared with 12-week breaks. For PACER Laps, students who participated in summer sports displayed improvements compared with nonparticipants (b = 4.6 laps, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Shorter summer breaks appear to have a protective effect on summer weight gain when compared with a traditional 12-week break. In addition, children who participated in organized sport over the summer did see a significant improvement in cardiovascular fitness. Schools might consider a year-round school calendar for its potential to protect against summer weight gain.
Background: Summer weight gain and fitness loss has been identified as a public health concern for children. The objective of this study was to compare changes in weight status and cardiovascular fitness in children attending year-round and traditional calendar schools. Methods: Participants were 321 children from a traditional and year-round school. BMI and Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) Laps were collected during school. Multilevel general linear mixed-effects models were utilized to examine changes in BMI and PACER over the summer while also considering summer camp and sport participation. Results: Children had higher BMI z-scores during Fall 2018 compared with Spring 2018 (b = 0.09, p = 0.006). This effect was modified by Break Length, as students with 3-week (b = -0.09, p = 0.012) and 7-week breaks (b = -0.10, p = 0.003) displayed attenuated increases in BMI z-scores compared with 12-week breaks. For PACER Laps, students who participated in summer sports displayed improvements compared with nonparticipants (b = 4.6 laps, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Shorter summer breaks appear to have a protective effect on summer weight gain when compared with a traditional 12-week break. In addition, children who participated in organized sport over the summer did see a significant improvement in cardiovascular fitness. Schools might consider a year-round school calendar for its potential to protect against summer weight gain.
Entities:
Keywords:
BMI; cardiovascular fitness; children; sport participation; summer break; weight gain
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