The impact of summer vacation on children’s obesogenic behaviors and body mass index: a natural experiment

Background Children’s BMI gain accelerates during summer. The Structured Days Hypothesis posits that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts children’s obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep). This natural experiment examined the impact of summer vacation on children’s obesogenic behaviors and body mass index (BMI). Methods Elementary-aged children (n = 285, 5-12 years, 48.7% male, 57.4% African American) attending a year-round (n = 97) and two match-paired traditional schools (n = 188) in the United States participated in this study. Rather than taking a long break from school during the summer like traditional schools, year-round schools take shorter and more frequent breaks from school. This difference in school calendars allowed for obesogenic behaviors to be collected during three conditions: Condition 1) all children attend school, Condition 2) year-round children attend school while traditional children were on summer vacation, and Condition 3) summer vacation for all children. Changes in BMI z-score were collected for the corresponding school years and summers. Multi-level mixed effects regressions estimated obesogenic behaviors and monthly zBMI changes. It was hypothesized that children would experience unhealthy changes in obesogenic behaviors when entering summer vacation because the absence of the school day (i.e., Condition 1 vs. 2 for traditional school children and 2 vs. 3 for year-round school children). Results From Condition 1 to 2 traditional school children experienced greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆ = 24.2, 95CI = 10.2, 38.2), screen time minutes (∆ = 33.7, 95CI = 17.2, 50.3), sleep midpoint time (∆ = 73:43, 95CI = 65:33, 81:53), and sleep efficiency percentage (−∆ = 0.7, 95CI = -1.1, − 0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Alternatively, from Condition 2 to 3 year-round school children experienced greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆ = 54.5, 95CI = 38.0, 70.9), light physical activity minutes (∆ = − 42.2, 95CI = -56.2, − 28.3) MVPA minutes (∆ = − 11.4, 95CI = -3.7, − 19.1), screen time minutes (∆ = 46.5, 95CI = 30.0, 63.0), and sleep midpoint time (∆ = 95:54, 95CI = 85:26, 106:22) when compared to traditional school children. Monthly zBMI gain accelerated during summer for traditional (∆ = 0.033 95CI = 0.019, 0.047) but not year-round school children (∆ = 0.004, 95CI = -0.014, 0.023). Conclusions This study suggests that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts sedentary behaviors, sleep timing, and screen time. Changes in sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep midpoint may contribute to accelerated summer BMI gain. Providing structured programming during summer vacation may positively impact these behaviors, and in turn, mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03397940. Registered January 12th 2018.

The Impact of Summer Vacation on Children’s Obesogenic Behaviors and Body Mass Index: A natural experiment.

Background: Children’s BMI gain accelerates during summer. The Structured Days Hypothesis posits that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts children’s obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep). This natural experiment examined the impact of summer vacation on children’s obesogenic behaviors and body mass index (BMI).Methods: Elementary-aged children (n=285, 5-12years, 48.7% male, 57.4% African American) attending a year-round (n=97) and two match-paired traditional schools (n=188) in the United States participated in this study. Rather than taking a long break from school during the summer like traditional schools, year-round schools take shorter and more frequent breaks from school. This difference in school calendars allowed for obesogenic behaviors to be collected during three conditions: Condition 1) all children attend school, Condition 2) year-round children attend school while traditional children were on summer vacation, and Condition 3) summer vacation for all children. Changes in BMI z-score were collected for the corresponding school years and summers. Multi-level mixed effects regressions estimated obesogenic behaviors and monthly zBMI changes. It was hypothesized that children would experience unhealthy changes in obesogenic behaviors when entering summer vacation because the absence of the school day (i.e., Condition 1 vs. 2 for traditional school children and 2 vs. 3 for year-round school children).Results: From Condition 1 to 2 traditional school children experienced greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=24.2, 95CI=10.2, 38.2), screen time minutes (∆=33.7, 95CI=17.2, 50.3), sleep midpoint time (∆=73:43, 95CI=65:33, 81:53), and sleep efficiency percentage (-∆=0.7, 95CI=-1.1, -0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Alternatively, from Condition 2 to 3 year-round school children experienced greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=54.5, 95CI=38.0, 70.9), light physical activity minutes (∆=-42.2, 95CI=-56.2, -28.3) MVPA minutes (∆=-11.4, 95CI=-3.7, -19.1), screen time minutes (∆=46.5, 95CI=30.0, 63.0), and sleep midpoint time (∆=95:54, 95CI=85:26, 106:22) when compared to traditional school children. Monthly zBMI gain accelerated during summer for traditional (∆=0.033 95CI=0.019, 0.047) but not year-round school children (∆=0.004, 95CI=-0.014, 0.023).Conclusions: This study suggests that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts sedentary behaviors, sleep timing, and screen time. Changes in sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep midpoint may contribute to accelerated summer BMI gain. Providing structured programming during summer vacation may positively impact these behaviors, and in turn, mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03397940. Registered January 12th 2018.

The Impact of Summer Vacation on Children’s Obesogenic Behaviors and Body Mass Index: A natural experiment.

Background: Children’s BMI gain accelerates during summer. The Structured Days Hypothesis posits that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts children’s obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep). This natural experiment examined the impact of summer vacation on children’s obesogenic behaviors and body mass index (BMI).Methods: Elementary-aged children (n=285, 5-12years, 48.7% male, 57.4% African American) attending a year-round (n=97) and two match-paired traditional schools (n=188) in the United States participated in this study. Rather than taking a long break from school during the summer like traditional schools, year-round schools take shorter and more frequent breaks from school. This difference in school calendars allowed for obesogenic behaviors to be collected during three conditions: Condition 1) all children attend school, Condition 2) year-round children attend school while traditional children were on summer vacation, and Condition 3) summer vacation for all children. Changes in BMI z-score were collected for the corresponding school years and summers. Multi-level mixed effects regressions estimated obesogenic behaviors and monthly zBMI changes. It was hypothesized that children would experience unhealthy changes in obesogenic behaviors when entering summer vacation because the absence of the school day (i.e., Condition 1 vs. 2 for traditional school children and 2 vs. 3 for year-round school children).Results: From Condition 1 to 2 traditional school children experienced statistically significantly greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=24.2, 95CI=10.2, 38.2), screen time minutes (∆=33.7, 95CI=17.2, 50.3), sleep midpoint time (∆=73:43, 95CI=65:33, 81:53), and sleep efficiency percentage (-∆=0.7, 95CI=-1.1, -0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Alternatively, from Condition 2 to 3 traditional school children experienced statistically significantly smaller unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=-54.5, 95CI=-70.9, -38.0), MVPA minutes (∆=11.4, 95CI=3.7, 19.1), screen time minutes (∆=-46.5, 95CI=-63.0, -30.0), sleep midpoint time (∆=-95:54, 95CI=-106:22, -85:26), and sleep efficiency percentage (-∆=0.7, 95CI=-1.1, -0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Monthly zBMI gain accelerated during summer for traditional (∆=0.033 95CI=0.019, 0.047) but not year-round school children (∆=0.004, 95CI=-0.014, 0.023).Conclusions: This study suggests that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts sedentary behaviors, sleep timing, and screen time. Changes in sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep midpoint may contribute to accelerated summer BMI gain. Providing structured programming during summer vacation may positively impact these behaviors, and in turn, mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03397940. Registered January 12th 2018.

The Impact of Summer Vacation on Children’s Obesogenic Behaviors and Body Mass Index: A natural experiment.

Background: Children’s BMI gain accelerates during summer. The Structured Days Hypothesis posits that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts children’s obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep). This natural experiment examined the impact of summer vacation on children’s obesogenic behaviors and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Elementary-aged children (n=285, grade=1-5, 48.7% male, 57.4% African American) attending a year-round (n=97) and two match-paired traditional schools (n=188) participated in this study. Obesogenic behaviors were collected during three conditions: Condition 1) all children attend school, Condition 2) year-round children attend school while traditional children were on summer vacation, and Condition 3) summer vacation for all children. Changes in BMI z-score were collected for the corresponding school years and summers. Multi-level mixed effects regressions estimated obesogenic behaviors and monthly zBMI changes. It was hypothesized that children would experience unhealthy changes in obesogenic behaviors when entering summer vacation because the absence of the school day (i.e., Condition 1 vs. 2 for traditional school children and 2 vs. 3 for year-round school children). Results: From Condition 1 to 2 traditional school children experienced statistically significantly greater unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=24.2, 95CI=10.2, 38.2), screen time minutes (∆=33.7, 95CI=17.2, 50.3), sleep midpoint time (∆=73:43, 95CI=65:33, 81:53), and sleep efficiency percentage (-∆=0.7, 95CI=-1.1, -0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Alternatively, from Condition 2 to 3 traditional school children experienced statistically significantly smaller unhealthy changes in daily minutes sedentary (∆=-54.5, 95CI=-70.9, -38.0), MVPA minutes (∆=11.4, 95CI=3.7, 19.1), screen time minutes (∆=-46.5, 95CI=-63.0, -30.0), sleep midpoint time (∆=-95:54, 95CI=-106:22, -85:26), and sleep efficiency percentage (-∆=0.7, 95CI=-1.1, -0.3) when compared to year-round school children. Monthly zBMI gain accelerated during summer for traditional (∆=0.033 95CI=0.019, 0.047) but not year-round school children (∆=0.004, 95CI=-0.014, 0.023).Conclusions: This study suggests that the lack of the school day during summer vacation negatively impacts sedentary behaviors, sleep timing, and screen time. Changes in sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep midpoint may contribute to accelerated summer BMI gain. Providing structured programming during summer vacation may positively impact these behaviors, and in turn, mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain.

Teacher Turnover, Composition and Qualifications in the Year-Round School Setting

We estimate the effects of year-round school (YRS) calendars on teacher turnover and teacher qualifications for the state of California, finding that YRS results in diminished teacher education and experience. This result is notable as previous research finds negative academic impacts of YRS in California. As context for our findings, we use comparisons with North Carolina, where research has found neutral academic impacts for the same calendar. While we find that schools in both locations hire more teachers to accommodate the calendar, teacher qualifications do not decrease for North Carolina. Our results are therefore consistent with, and can partly explain, evidence on the impact of YRS on student achievement. Additionally, as YRS is implemented in more affluent areas in North Carolina and in disadvantaged populations in California, we use matched samples to show that student demographics do not explain our teacher impacts found for California.