Introduction: This study examines how the changes in weight status across the spectrum of a senior high school study are associated with academic performance measured by the university entrance exam scores.
Materials and methods: A unique dataset which compiles a national health examination profile and the General Scholastic Ability Test data bank in Taiwan was constructed. The final sample comprised 149,240 senior high school students of which 70,662 were males and 78,578 were female students. The school-level fixed effect models were estimated.
Results: Students who were either (a) not overweight in the first year but overweight in the third year of senior high school, (b) overweight in both the first and third year, or (c) overweight in the first year but not overweight in the third year, were more likely to score lower on the university entrance exam, compared with their never-overweight counterparts. The findings differ by gender and test subjects.
Discussions: The change in weight status during senior high school period is associated with subsequent university entrance exam outcome. Students who start senior high school being overweight should be paid attention. School-based programs and practices need to be implemented to reduce the prevalence of overweight among students.
本文旨在探討臺灣高中生求學階段的體重變化狀況與其大學入學成績之關係。 研究資料使用全國體檢數據與大學學科能力測驗成績的合併資料檔，有效樣本 數為149,240位高中生，其中男、女學生分別為70,662與78,578人，並使用學校 層級的固定效果模型進行估計。重要的分析結果，發現(a)高一時期體重正 常，但至高三時變為超重、(b)高一與高三時期體重皆為超重者、(c)高一時超 重，但至高三則變為正常体重者，與從未曾有過超重的對照組相比，這三類人 群的大學入學考試成績偏低。體重變化與大學入學考試成績間的關聯，因性別 與考試科目之不同而有所差異。本結果發現高中生在求學過程中的體重變化狀 況會影響到其後的大學入學考試成績，故本研究建議有關單位未來應特別關注 超重高中新生，為其應建立以學校為基礎的體重控制計畫，以降低超重的發生 率。