Need another reason to maintain a healthy body mass?

Obesity carries with it many health risks, such as cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes and many types of cancer. But now, a new study has found a link between obesity in adolescent girls and lower academic levels throughout their teens.

The researchers, from various universities in the UK, have published the results of their study in the International Journal of Obesity, and they say theirs is the first comprehensive study to look into the association between obesity and academics in teens.

Though the association was less clear in boys, the team says for teenage girls, the link was clear.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2012, over one third of children and adolescents in the US were overweight or obese, which is the result of a “caloric imbalance” and is affected by genetic, behavioral and environmental factors.

Prof. John Reilly, principal investigator and professor at the University of Strathclyde in the UK, says:

“Further work is needed to understand why obesity is negatively related to academic attainment, but it is clear that teenagers, parents and policymakers in education and public health should be aware of the lifelong educational and economic impact of obesity.”

The researchers found a clear link between obesity in teenage girls and lower academic performance.

More on the study (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273854.php)