Could An Unsafe School Environment Increase The Risk Of Childhood Obesity?

New findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology show that a lack of school safety could be linked to childhood obesity. Researchers at the University of Montreal and its affiliated Research Center at CHU Sainte Justine children's hospital noted a potential connection between the two.

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data that spanned family background and youth behaviors of more than 1,000 Quebec youths who had just entered into secondary school. Students were asked about their feelings on safety and whether they had been verbally, physically or socially abused.

"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," senior study author Dr. Tracie Barnett, said in a news release. "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."

This information was supplement by covering data from the family background and certain health behaviors, as well. In addition, teachers rated what certain atmospheres were like at school and whether there were certain areas that youth were afraid to to to, etc. 

"Youth who experienced chronic poverty were more likely to be overweight than those who hadn't, yet these youth tended to have higher levels of physical activity, possibly due to lesser use of car transport," said researcher Dr. Caroline Fitzpatrick. "Other factors such as feeling unsafe and being victimized at school helped explain underprivileged youths' increased probability of being obese or overweight."