Study Links Poverty with Obesity, Poor Fitness in Children
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(NEW YORK) — Researchers at Johns Hopkins University noted a link between poverty and poor fitness and obesity in children.
According to the study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, researchers analyzed data from more than 1.6 million students in fifth, seventh and ninth grades. Their findings indicated that children who came from low-income homes were at higher risk for obesity and did poorly, compared to their peers, on a physical fitness test.
The findings were consistent across racial and ethnic lines, the researchers note.
The study leads researchers to believe that children from those homes may find it more difficult to adhere to healthy eating or engage in outdoor play or organized sports. The findings are largely in line with previous studies.
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