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Poverty, feelings of being unsafe linked to obesity in children

Children who experienced chronic poverty often felt unsafe at school, typically due to victimization among students at low-income schools, and therefore were more likely to be overweight or obese.

“Childhood obesity is caused and sustained by a complex range of factors. Our research reveals a complex intertwining of feelings of being unsafe and poverty with obesity. Surprisingly, we have found that although victimization at school is linked to childhood obesity and more screen-time, screen-time itself was not correlated with obesity. This suggests a key role for feeling unsafe and victimization in perpetuating obesity,” Tracie Barnett, PhD, professor, Centre INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, in Quebec, said in a press release.

Barnett and colleagues analyzed data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Childhood Development to assess the correlation between poverty and feeling safe at school, and how unsafe feelings affected the probability of being overweight or obese. Participants (n = 1,234) had a mean age of 13.14 years, and were asked to report how often, if at all, they had been victimized at school. Victimization was defined as being pushed, hit or kicked by another student.

Additionally, participants were categorized into one of three weight groups, and were asked to report on their screen time as well. Among all participants, 70% were neither overweight nor obese, 22% were overweight and 8% were obese, and generally, participants reported less than 15 hours/week of screen time.

Results demonstrated that overall, the majority of students felt safe at school, however, 20% of participants reported being unsure or not feeling safe. Students who experienced chronic poverty were more likely to be overweight or obese (P > .05), compared with students who had no experience with poverty. The researchers noted that students who experienced chronic poverty more often felt unsafe at school, and therefore they were more likely to be overweight or obese.

No association was found between screen time and weight among students.

“Increasing youths’ feelings of safety at school is one potential intervention amongst many that could buffer the relationship between poverty and being overweight. In addition to targeting actual school violence, a youths’ perception of safety at school might be increased by improving the neighborhood environment, his or her relationship with teachers and by encouraging a climate of respect and appreciation in the school as a whole,” Barnett said in the release. – by Casey Hower

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.