Understanding differences between summer vs. school obesogenic behaviors of children: the structured days hypothesis

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Debate

Keith Brazendale¹  R. Glenn Weaver¹  Russell R. Pate¹  Michael W. Beets¹  Gabrielle M. Turner-McGrievy²  Andrew T. Kaczynski²  Amy Bohnert³  Jessica L. Chandler⁴  Paul T. von Hippel⁵ 

[1] Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly Street, 1st Floor Suite, Room 131, 29208, Columbia, SC, USA;Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, 29201, Columbia, SC, USA;Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 West Sheridan Road, 60626, Chicago, IL, USA;Medical University of South Carolina, College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas Street, 29425, Charleston, SC, USA;The University of Texas at Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, 2300 Red River Street, 78712, Austin, TX, USA;

关键词: Children;    Obesity;    School;    Summer;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12966-017-0555-2

 received in 2017-05-22, accepted in 2017-07-19,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAlthough the scientific community has acknowledged modest improvements can be made to weight status and obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sedentary/screen time, diet, and sleep) during the school year, studies suggests improvements are erased as elementary-age children are released to summer vacation. Emerging evidence shows children return to school after summer vacation displaying accelerated weight gain compared to the weight gained occurring during the school year. Understanding how summer days differ from when children are in school is, therefore, essential.DiscussionThere is limited evidence on the etiology of accelerated weight gain during summer, with few studies comparing obesogenic behaviors on the same children during school and summer. For many children, summer days may be analogous to weekend days throughout the school year. Weekend days are often limited in consistent and formal structure, and thus differ from school days where segmented, pre-planned, restrictive, and compulsory components exist that shape obesogenic behaviors. The authors hypothesize that obesogenic behaviors are beneficially regulated when children are exposed to a structured day (i.e., school weekday) compared to what commonly occurs during summer. This is referred to as the ‘Structured Days Hypothesis’ (SDH). To illustrate how the SDH operates, this study examines empirical data that compares weekend day (less-structured) versus weekday (structured) obesogenic behaviors in U.S. elementary school-aged children. From 190 studies, 155 (~80%) demonstrate elementary-aged children’s obesogenic behaviors are more unfavorable during weekend days compared to weekdays.ConclusionIn light of the SDH, consistent evidence demonstrates the structured environment of weekdays may help to protect children by regulating obesogenic behaviors, most likely through compulsory physical activity opportunities, restricting caloric intake, reducing screen time occasions, and regulating sleep schedules. Summer is emerging as the critical period where childhood obesity prevention efforts need to be focused. The SDH can help researchers understand the drivers of obesogenic behaviors during summer and lead to innovative intervention development.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017