Kids Gain Weight During Summer Vacations: Report

April 16, 2023 9:33 am55 commentsViews: 134

A new study finds child obesity increases during the summer vacation compared to the school year. Researchers say children are now more inclined to screen time, less nutritious lunch and snack options during their sunny holidays. They even sleep irregularly and all these lead to risk of weight gains.

kids-gain-weight-during-summer-vacations-report

The finding now urges schools and parents for a shift in how to tackle childhood obesity. The right idea is Michelle Obama’s Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) that calls for better meals, less sugary and salty snacks, and more physical education.

The researchers have also recommended in the new national study to government policies such as a soda tax.

Associate professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, Paul von Hippel, said the children obesity problem does not originate in the schools as efforts there have disappointing results.

Hippel is also lead author of the study. He added it is high time to think of impact of school-based reform out-of-school based behavior.

More than 18,000 kindergarten students were studied since 2010 and their BMI were measured once in every fall and again in spring for three school years and two summers.

Details of the study were published on Wednesday and so far it is the second national study of its kind. The first study was published in 2007 and Hippel too was involved in it.

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