Adolescent weight status and self-reported school performance in South Korea

Using a nationally representative sample of 142 783 middle school (13-15 years old) and high school (16-18 years old) students in south korea,this study examined whether (1) overweight and obesity are more likely to be associated with lower self-reported school performance; (2) overweight and obese students are more likely to enrol in a vocational high school as opposed to a general high school; (3) the association between obesity and poorer self-reported school performance is mediated through body image stress and health status. we found that excess weight was negatively associated with self-reported school performance among middle and general high school students,and that obese students had a higher probability of being enrolled in a vocational over a general high school. we did not find strong evidence on the mediating role of body image stress and health status. © 2011 young kyung do and eric andrew finkelstein.