Independent and combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades of inner urban and peri-urban high school students: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China

ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the independent and combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades of inner urban high school students (IUHSSs) and peri-urban high school students (PUHSSs).DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted.ParticipantsThere are 1481 high school students (49.9% boys) in this study, who were enrolled from one inner urban and two peri-urban schools in Chongqing, China.Outcome measuresAcademic grades were assessed based on the students’ self-reported grade ranking in the last cumulative examination.ResultsIn IUHSSs and PUHSSs, high frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was unlikely to obtain high academic grades (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.99 and 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.96), respectively). Among IUHSSs, meeting the recommendations for weekday screen time and egg consumption (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.34 and 1.60, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.47, respectively) and high frequency of fruit consumption (1.67, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.50) were significantly associated with high academic grades; meeting the recommendation for weekday sleep duration was unlikely to obtain high academic grades (0.46, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.98). Among PUHSSs, meeting the recommendations for weekend sleep duration (1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.93) and eating dinner regularly (1.55, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.37) had significant associations with high academic grades. No significant associations were found between physical activity and academic grades in both IUHSSs and PUHSSs (p>0.05). Moreover, IUHSSs with 9–13 healthy lifestyle behaviours were 3.25 times more likely to achieve high academic grades than IUHSSs with 1–6 healthy lifestyle behaviours (3.25, 95% CI 1.96 to 5.40). No significant associations were found in the combined associations between multiple lifestyle behaviours and academic grades among PUHSSs (p>0.05).ConclusionsCorrelations were observed between lifestyle behaviours and academic grades among high school students, and cumulative associations between multiple healthy lifestyle behaviours and academic outcomes appear to be stronger than the independent associations. These findings are particularly applicable to IUHSSs.

Building Emotionally Resilient Schools and Educators During Crises

This teaching case study illustrates the increasing need for school leaders to offer and foster adult social emotional learning (SEL) in schools, particularly in the context of crises. This scenario takes place in an urban high school that is representative of many other American schools. In particular, I examine the challenges educational leaders commonly face when they do not take SEL for adults into consideration prior to implementing SEL for students. This teaching case study aims at encouraging meaningful conversations about adult SEL, equity, and leadership in times of crisis. The hope is to better understand how school leaders can lead and embrace adult SEL during crises. I also pose questions designed to prepare prospective and current educational leaders for similar situations.

Youth Court: A Restorative Practice? A Case to Consider

The current case demonstrates the complexities of utilizing Youth Court as a restorative practice in an urban high school, by focusing on the complexities it presents for one student in particular. In this case, there are reasons why Youth Court clearly is not working at this particular school site as intended. However, more importantly for leadership preparation, the case surfaces dilemmas of cultural difference, teacher preparation, leadership preparation, and school policy that leaders must address prior to restorative implementation in order to ensure sustainable restorative practice moving forward.