BMI Patterns and Academic Progression: A Study of Primary School Boys

Sharif Al-Mahdia
Jashore University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh
Farjana Akter Boby
Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
Manisha Badhan
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Published 13-04-2025

Keywords

  • BMI Patterns,
  • Academic Progression,
  • Primary School Boys,
  • Jashore District,
  • Bangladesh

How to Cite

Al-Mahdia, S., Boby, F. A., & Badhan, M. (2025). BMI Patterns and Academic Progression: A Study of Primary School Boys. International Journal of Kinanthropometry, 5(1), 53–64. https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk2516

Dimensions

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a global health concern, necessitating research on Body Mass Index (BMI) patterns among primary school children. This study investigates BMI trends across academic progression among primary school boys in Jashore District, Bangladesh. The study aims to analyze BMI patterns and their association with academic progression among primary school boys, informing interventions for obesity prevention and management. Method: Data were collected from 300 boys in Classes 1 to 5 across urban, suburban, and rural schools. Height, weight, and BMI were measured using standardized methods. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, tests of normality, and non-parametric tests. Results: The findings revealed a progressive increase in weight with advancing academic classes. Significant differences were observed between Class 1 and all other classes (p < .05), indicating that weight varied significantly across academic levels. Additionally, significant differences were found between Class 2 and Classes 3, 4, and 5, as well as between Class 3 and Classes 4 and 5. However, the difference between Class 3 and Class 4 was not statistically significant (p = .095). Similar to weight, height exhibited a progressive pattern with increasing academic classes. Significant differences were detected between Class 1 and all other classes (p < .05), indicating significant variation in height across academic levels. Furthermore, significant differences were observed between several pairs of classes, except for Class 2 and Class 3, where the difference was not statistically significant (p = .192). The study also found a progressive trend in BMI growth with higher academic classes. Significant differences were observed between Class 1 and all other classes (p < .05), as well as between Class 2 and Classes 4 and 5, and between Class 2 and Class 3. However, no significant difference was found between Class 3 and Class 4 (p = .914). Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of monitoring BMI trends to inform interventions promoting healthy growth and development among primary school boys. This research contributes valuable insights for obesity prevention and management strategies in Jashore District.

References

  1. Al-Momani, M. M. (2021). Health-promoting lifestyle and its association with the academic achievements of medical students in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 37(2). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.2.3417
  2. Bae, K.K., Kim, H., Cho, S.I. (2011). Trends in Body Mass Index and Associations with Physical Activity among Career Soldiers in South Korea. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 44(4):167–175. https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2011.44.4.167
  3. Blackburn, H., Jacobs, D. (2014). Commentary: Origins and evolution of body mass index (BMI): continuing saga. International Journal of Epidemiology, 43(3): 665–669 https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyu061
  4. Boby, F. A., Shara, S. S. (2023). Navigating Childhood Health: Unraveling the Tapestry of Anthropometric Indicators and Musculoskeletal Fitness in Elementary School Boys. International Journal of Kinanthropometry, 3(2): 9-16. https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk2332
  5. Çakmur, H. (2023). Introductory Chapter: A Historical Index Widely Used in Medicine – Body Mass Index. In H. Çakmur (Ed.), Body Mass Index—Overweight, Normal Weight, Underweight. Intech Open.
  6. Cantu, P. A., Sheehan, C. M., Sasson, I., Hayward, M. D. (2021). Increasing Education-Based Disparities in Healthy Life Expectancy Among U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites, 2000–2010. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(2): 319–329. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz145
  7. Cutler, D. M., Lleras-Muney, A. (2010). Understanding differences in health behaviors by education. Journal of Health Economics, 29(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2009.10.003
  8. Hayward, D. M. A. R. K, Farina, M. P. (2023). Dynamic Changes in the Association between Education and Health in the United States. The Milbank Quarterly, 101(S1), 396–418. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12611
  9. De Onis, M., Blössner, M., Borghi, E. (2010). Global prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among preschool children. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92(5): 1257–1264. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2010.29786
  10. Feldman, A. F., Matjasko, J. L. (2005). The Role of School-Based Extracurricular Activities in Adolescent Development: A Comprehensive Review and Future Directions. Review of Educational Research, 75(2):159–210. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543075002159
  11. García Bacete, F. J., Marande Perrin, G., Schneider, B. H., Blanchard, C. (2014). Effects of School on the Well-Being of Children and Adolescents. Handbook of Child Well-Being Springer Netherlands, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9063-8_149
  12. Gorski, K. J. (2021). In School for After School: The Relationship Between Extracurricular Participation and School Engagement. Sociological Forum, 36(1): 248–270. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12671
  13. Hales, C. M., Freedman, D.S., Akinbami, L., Wei, R., Ogden, C. L. (2022). Evaluation of alternative body mass index (BMI) metrics to monitor weight status in children and adolescents with extremely high BMI using CDC BMI-for-age growth charts. National Center for Health Statistics (U.S.), 2(197). https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:121711
  14. Hayward, M. D., Hummer, R. A., Sasson, I. (2015). Trends and group differences in the association between educational attainment and U.S. adult mortality: Implications for understanding education’s causal influence. Social Science & Medicine, 127: 8–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.11.024
  15. Hirst, M., Jervis, N., Visagie, K., Sojo, V., Cavanagh, S. (2011). Transition to Primary School: A Review of the Literature. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3122.3448
  16. Iqbal, A., Boby, F. A., Mia, H., Sohel, M. (2024). Change of health-related fitness with respect to age for adolescent boys. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 19(4): 1009-1018. https://doi.org/10.55860/mswfwq70
  17. Jetten, J., Haslam, C., Alexander, S. H. (2012). The social cure: Identity, health and well-being (1st Edition). Psychology press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203813195
  18. Kamruzzaman, M., Rahman, S. A., Akter, S., Shushmita, H., Ali, M. Y., Billah, M. A., Kamal, M. S., Elahi, M. T., Paul, D. K. (2021). The anthropometric assessment of body composition and nutritional status in children aged 2–15 years: A cross-sectional study from three districts in Bangladesh. PLOS ONE, 16(9): e0257055. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257055
  19. Khalatbari-Soltani, S., Maccora, J., Blyth, F. M., Joannès, C., Kelly-Irving, M. (2022). Measuring education in the context of health inequalities. International Journal of Epidemiology, 51(3): 701–708. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyac058
  20. Kimbro, R. T., Bzostek, S., Goldman, N., Rodríguez, G. (2008). Race, Ethnicity, and the Education Gradient in Health. Health Affairs, 27(2): 361–372. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.27.2.361
  21. Kuzhiyengal Mambra, A. J., Kotian, S. S. (2023). Exploring the Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Aggressive Behavior among Higher Secondary Students: A Literature Review. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 5(5): 7078. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2023.v05i05.7078
  22. Lebiedowska, A., Hartman-Petrycka, M., Błońska-Fajfrowska, B. (2021). How reliable is BMI? Bioimpedance analysis of body composition in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese women. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 - ), 190(3): 993–998. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-020-02403-3
  23. Lee, A., Cardel, M., Donahoo, W.T. Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity. 2019 Oct 12. IN: Feingold, K.R., Ahmed, S.F., Anawalt, B., Blackman, M.R, Boyce, A., Chrousos, G., Corpas, E., de Herder, W.W., Dhatariya, K., Dungan, K., Hofland, J., Kalra, S., Kaltsas, G., Kapoor, N., Koch, C., Kopp, P., Korbonits, M., Kovacs, C.S., Kuohung, W., Laferrère, B., Levy, M., McGee, E.A., McLachlan, R., Muzumdar, R., Purnell, J., Rey, R., Sahay, R., Shah, A.S., Singer, F., Sperling, M.A., Stratakis, C.A, Trence, D.L., Wilson, D.P., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000–. PMID: 25905211.
  24. Lee, J., Seon, J. (2019). Educational Attainment and Health Behaviors among Young Adult Men: Racial/Ethnic Disparities. American Journal of Men’s Health, 13(6): 155798831989448. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988319894488
  25. Limony, Y., Koziel, S., Friger, M. (2019). Association between the onset age of puberty and parental height. PLOS ONE, 14(1), e0211334. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211334
  26. Liu, T., Sato, Y., Breaden, J. (2023). Factors influencing international students’ trajectories: A comparative study of Chinese students in Japan and Australia. International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, 25(1): 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCED-08-2022-0060
  27. Mistry, S. K., Puthussery, S. (2015). Risk factors of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence in South Asian countries: A systematic review of the evidence. Public Health, 129(3), 200–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2014.12.004
  28. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Committee on Community-Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States, Baciu, A., Negussie, Y., Geller, A., Weinstein, J. N. (2017). The Root Causes of Health Inequity. In Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity. National Academies Press (US). https://doi.org/10.17226/24624
  29. Northstone, K., Guggenheim, J. A., Howe, L. D., Tilling, K., Paternoster, L., Kemp, J. P., McMahon, G., Williams, C. (2013). Body Stature Growth Trajectories during Childhood and the Development of Myopia. Ophthalmology, 120(5): 1064-1073.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.11.004
  30. Parvin, T., Boby, F. A., Badhan, M. (2024). Growing up healthy: Body mass index patterns among primary school girls. Journal of Anthropology, Sport and Physical Education, 8(3): 11-14. https://doi.org/10.26773/jaspe.240702
  31. Raghupathi, V., Raghupathi, W. (2020). The influence of education on health: An empirical assessment of OECD countries for the period 1995–2015. Archives of Public Health, 78(1): 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00402-5
  32. Ramesh, S. (2022). Cognitive Development and Childhood Learning. The Political Economy of Human Behaviour and Economic Development, Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12666-6_5
  33. Sanders, J. O., Qiu, X., Lu, X., Duren, D. L., Liu, R. W., Dang, D., Menendez, M. E., Hans, S. D., Weber, D. R., Cooperman, D. R. (2017). The Uniform Pattern of Growth and Skeletal Maturation during the Human Adolescent Growth Spurt. Scientific Reports, 7(1): 16705. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16996-w
  34. Scott, S. K., Saginak, K. A. (2016). Adolescence: Physical and Cognitive Development, Human Growth and Development across the Lifespan, Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394258925.ch11
  35. Shaunessy-Dedrick, E., Suldo, S. M., Roth, R. A., Fefer, S. A. (2015). Students’ Perceptions of Factors that Contribute to Risk and Success in Accelerated High School Courses. The High School Journal, 98(2): 109–137. https://doi.org/10.1353/hsj.2015.0002
  36. Shehzad, M. A., Khurram, H., Iqbal, Z., Parveen, M., Shabbir, M. N. (2022). Nutritional status and growth centiles using anthropometric measures of school-aged children and adolescents from Multan district. Archives de Pédiatrie, 29(2): 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcped.2021.11.010
  37. Tee, E. S. (2002). Obesity in Asia: Prevalence and issues in assessment methodologies. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11(s8): s694-s701. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-6047.11.s8.12.x
  38. Wang, L., Ren, J., Chen, J., Gao, R., Bai, B., An, H., Cai, W., Ma, A. (2022). Lifestyle choices mediate the association between educational attainment and BMI in older adults in China: A cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Public Health, 10: 1000953. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1000953
  39. Wehkalampi, K., Silventoinen, K., Kaprio, J., Dick, D. M., Rose, R. J., Pulkkinen, L., Dunkel, L. (2008). Genetic and environmental influences on pubertal timing assessed by height growth. American Journal of Human Biology, 20(4): 417–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.20748
  40. Weir, C. B., Jan, A. (2024). BMI Classification Percentile and Cut off Points. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541070/
  41. World Health Organization. (2003). Skills for health: Skills-based health education including life skills: An important component of a child-friendly/health-promoting school. World Health Organization.