IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p8973-d622127.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Long-Term Influences of Stunting, Being Underweight, and Thinness on the Academic Performance of Primary School Girls: The NW-CHILD Study

Author

Listed:
  • Xonné Haywood

    (Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation Focus Area, Faculty of Health Science, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

  • Anita Elizabeth Pienaar

    (School of Human Movement Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

Abstract

Poor socio-economic status contributes to undernutrition which, in turn, can increase the risk of academic underachievement. This study wants to determine if stunting, being underweight, and thinness show long term relations with academic performance in primary school girls aged 6 to 13 in the North West province of South Africa. A randomized and stratified longitudinal research design including a baseline and two time-point measurements over seven school years was used. The sample included girls aged 6 to 13 years ( N = 198) in the North West province of South Africa. Academic performance in the June school assessments and national and provincial assessments in grades 1, 4, and 7 were used to determine academic performance. Independent t -testing was used to determine differences between thinness, underweight and stunted girls as opposed to a reference group with no undernutrition indices. A repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni adjustment analyzed relations over time. Normal weight girls significantly outperformed stunted girls academically ( p < 0.05) over time. Stunting had prolonged and significant negative influences on language, mathematics, and grade point average ( p < 0.05). Early identification of undernutrition, especially stunting, is important for intervention and the implementation of timely prevention strategies, especially during early childhood years.

Suggested Citation

  • Xonné Haywood & Anita Elizabeth Pienaar, 2021. "Long-Term Influences of Stunting, Being Underweight, and Thinness on the Academic Performance of Primary School Girls: The NW-CHILD Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:8973-:d:622127
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/8973/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/8973/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Johanna Beckmann & Christin Lang & Rosa du Randt & Annelie Gresse & Kurt Z. Long & Sebastian Ludyga & Ivan Müller & Siphesihle Nqweniso & Uwe Pühse & Jürg Utzinger & Cheryl Walter & Markus Gerber, 2021. "Prevalence of Stunting and Relationship between Stunting and Associated Risk Factors with Academic Achievement and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study with South African Primary School Childre," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Makama Andries Monyeki & Adedapo Awotidebe & Gert L. Strydom & J. Hans De Ridder & Ramoteme Lesly Mamabolo & Han C. G. Kemper, 2015. "The Challenges of Underweight and Overweight in South African Children: Are We Winning or Losing the Battle? A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Glewwe, Paul & Jacoby, Hanan G. & King, Elizabeth M., 2001. "Early childhood nutrition and academic achievement: a longitudinal analysis," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 345-368, September.
    4. Pauw, Kalie, 2005. "A Profile of the Limpopo Province: Demographics, Poverty, Inequality, and Unemployment," Background Paper Series 15607, PROVIDE Project.
    5. Pauw, Kalie, 2005. "A Profile of the North West Province: Demographics, Poverty, Inequality and Unemployment," Background Paper Series 15614, PROVIDE Project.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Harold Alderman & John Hoddinott & Bill Kinsey, 2006. "Long term consequences of early childhood malnutrition," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 58(3), pages 450-474, July.
    2. Belot, Michèle & James, Jonathan, 2011. "Healthy school meals and educational outcomes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 489-504, May.
    3. Sánchez, Alan & Favara, Marta & Sheridan, Margaret & Behrman, Jere, 2024. "Does early nutrition predict cognitive skills during later childhood? Evidence from two developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    4. Fujii, Tomoki & Shonchoy, Abu S. & Xu, Sijia, 2018. "Impact of Electrification on Children’s Nutritional Status in Rural Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 315-330.
    5. Handa, Sudhanshu & Davis, Benjamin, 2006. "The experience of conditional cash transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean," ESA Working Papers 289060, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    6. Jere R. Behrman & John Hoddinott & John A. Maluccio, & Erica Soler-Hampejsek & Emily L. Behrman & Reynaldo Martorell & Manuel Ramirez-Zea & Aryeh D. Stein, 2006. "What Determines Adult Cognitive Skills? Impacts of Pre-Schooling, Schooling and Post-Schooling Experiences in Guatemala," PIER Working Paper Archive 06-027, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    7. Fitzsimons, Emla & Malde, Bansi & Mesnard, Alice & Vera-Hernández, Marcos, 2016. "Nutrition, information and household behavior: Experimental evidence from Malawi," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 113-126.
    8. Atheendar S. Venkataramani & K.R. Shanmugam & Jennifer Prah Ruger, 2010. "Health, Technical Efficiency, And Agricultural Production In Indian Districts," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1-23, December.
    9. Mariapia Mendola & Mengesha Yayo Negasi, 2019. "Nutritional and Schooling Impact of a Cash Transfer Program in Ethiopia: A Retrospective Analysis of Childhood Experience," Development Working Papers 451, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    10. Alcaraz Carlo & Chiquiar Daniel & Orraca María José & Salcedo Alejandrina, 2012. "The Effect of Publicly Provided Health Insurance on Academic Performance in Mexico," Working Papers 2012-10, Banco de México.
    11. Katharina Lehmann-Uschner, 2015. "Die langfristigen Folgen von Mangel- und Unterernährung in Entwicklungsländern," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 69, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    12. Vos, R.P. & Cuesta, J.D. & León, M. & Lucio, R. & Rosero, J., 2005. "Reaching the millennium development goal for child mortality : Improving equity and efficiency in Ecuador's health budget," ISS Working Papers - General Series 19169, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    13. Samuel Perlo‐Freeman & Don J. Webber, 2009. "Basic Needs, Government Debt and Economic Growth," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(6), pages 965-994, June.
    14. Orazem, Peter F. & King, Elizabeth M., 2008. "Schooling in Developing Countries: The Roles of Supply, Demand and Government Policy," Handbook of Development Economics, in: T. Paul Schultz & John A. Strauss (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 55, pages 3475-3559, Elsevier.
    15. Andrea Salas‐Ortiz & Andrew M. Jones, 2024. "Inequality of opportunity in the double burden of malnutrition in Mexico," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(10), pages 2342-2380, October.
    16. Andreas Georgiadis & Liza Benny & Paul Dornan & Jere Behrman, 2021. "Maternal Undernutrition in Adolescence and Child Human Capital Development Over the Life Course: Evidence from an International Cohort Study," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 88(352), pages 942-968, October.
    17. Thuan Q. Thai & Evangelos M. Falaris, 2014. "Child Schooling, Child Health, and Rainfall Shocks: Evidence from Rural Vietnam," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(7), pages 1025-1037, July.
    18. Calderón, María Cecilia & Hoddinott, John, 2011. "The Inter-Generational Transmission of Cognitive Abilities in Guatemala," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 3105, Inter-American Development Bank.
    19. Bühler, Dorothee & Hartje, Rebecca & Ulrike Grote, 2017. "Can household food security predict individual undernutrition? Evidence from Cambodia and Lao PDR," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-594, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    20. Hongbin Li & Xianguo Yao & Junsen Zhang & Li-An Zhou, 2005. "Parental childcare and children's educational attainment: evidence from China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(18), pages 2067-2076.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:8973-:d:622127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.