A study by the University of South Carolina Medical University found a link between adolescent obesity and reduced learning. And because adolescents are still at the developmental stage, weight loss may at least prevent this trend and may even reverse it to some extent.

The IQ test scores show that the reduction in learning is due to a disease called adolescent sleep apnea. Just like adults, obese children with this condition actually stop breathing while sleeping. Although each episode may last only 10 seconds, in this case, hundreds of times per night may occur.

The study found that the reduction in learning was due to two consequences of respiratory arrest: hypoxia in the brain and lack of quality sleep. When the child is not breathing, oxygen does not enter the lungs, enters the bloodstream and is distributed to the brain. Hypoxia over time may cause damage to existing brain tissue and affect further brain development. Sleep apnea may be caused by excess fat in the throat or enlargement of the tonsils that cut off the airways.

As children wake up hundreds of times a night, they won't get good quality sleep even if they may get the right amount of sleep. This further affected their academic performance because they were tired of going to school the next day and could not concentrate on learning.

Then there is the emotional aspect of learning. Social distress also affects the learning of obese teens. Because obese children are “not suitable,” normal-weight children tend to tease, tease and even bully them. This constant ridicule leads to an incalculable emotional problem, where learning reduction is only a problem. Low self-esteem and self-worth continue to plague them, and focusing on learning at school is the most stupid thing in their hearts. Many people can no longer allow their peers to repel and eventually take their lives.

Researchers have found that learning can begin as early as kindergarten and seems to be more common among girls than boys. They also found that obese adolescents are less likely to participate in any type of higher education. It all started with an obese child.

If you have obese teens, help them re-learn by seeking approval from your child's health care professional's approved diet and exercise program. Be part of the emotional stress and bad results that result from ending obesity in your child. Let them re-actively learn.

3 ways in which childhood obesity affects learning was originally published on Spring