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Ivanovic D, Zamorano F, Soto-Icaza P, Rojas T, Larraín C, Silva C, Almagià A, Bustamante C, Arancibia V, Villagrán F, Valenzuela R, Barrera C, Billeke P. Brain structural parameters correlate with University Selection Test outcomes in Chilean high school graduates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20562. [PMID: 36446926 PMCID: PMC9709063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24958-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
How well students learn and perform in academic contexts is a focus of interest for the students, their families, and the entire educational system. Although evidence has shown that several neurobiological factors are involved in scholastic achievement (SA), specific brain measures associated with academic outcomes and whether such associations are independent of other factors remain unclear. This study attempts to identify the relationship between brain structural parameters, and the Chilean national University Selection Test (PSU) results in high school graduates within a multidimensional approach that considers socio-economic, intellectual, nutritional, and demographic variables. To this end, the brain morphology of a sample of 102 students who took the PSU test was estimated using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Anthropometric parameters, intellectual ability (IA), and socioeconomic status (SES) were also measured. The results revealed that, independently of sex, IA, gray matter volume, right inferior frontal gyrus thickness, and SES were significantly associated with SA. These findings highlight the role of nutrition, health, and socioeconomic variables in academic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniza Ivanovic
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile ,grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Zamorano
- grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Unidad de Imágenes Cuantitativas Avanzadas, Departamento de Imágenes, Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricia Soto-Icaza
- grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tatiana Rojas
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristián Larraín
- grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Radiology Department, Facultad de Medicina-Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Silva
- grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Radiology Department, Facultad de Medicina-Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Atilio Almagià
- grid.8170.e0000 0001 1537 5962Laboratory of Physical Anthropology and Human Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Claudia Bustamante
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Violeta Arancibia
- grid.431778.e0000 0004 0482 9086Department of Global Partnership for Education (GPE) World Bank, Washington, USA
| | - Francisca Villagrán
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Laboratory of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Valenzuela
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cynthia Barrera
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Billeke
- grid.412187.90000 0000 9631 4901Laboratorio de Neurociencia Social y Neuromodulación, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
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Bravo-Sanzana M, Bangdiwala SI, Miranda R. School violence negative effect on student academic performance: a multilevel analysis. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 2021; 29:29-41. [PMID: 34719336 DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2021.1994615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The relative roles of school context and individual student factors are of special interest to educators in measuring academic performance. Little is known about the effect of school violence on a student's academic performance and well-being. The aims of this study were to examine the effects of three types of school violence (direct violence, discrimination, and cyberbullying) on students' academic performance in standardized tests of mathematics, reading and history, and to identify individual student factors that contribute to reducing the negative effect of exposure to violence at school. We used 10th grade Chilean student data from the representative cross-sectional test of the Education Quality Measurement System (SIMCE in Spanish) from 2015. Multilevel linear models, adjusted for gender, incorporated other school and environmental contextual factors, as well as individual student factors. The results show that school violence in its three forms had a negative effect on academic performance. Student self-efficacy, educational expectations and satisfaction with interpersonal relations with their teachers, were important in reducing the negative effect of exposure to violence. The implications for the school are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Bravo-Sanzana
- Núcleo Científico-Tecnológico en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Shrikant I Bangdiwala
- Population Health Research Institute and Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Institute for Social and Health Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rafael Miranda
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Continental, Huancayo, Perú
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Conflict-Related Brain Activity after Individualized Cognitive Training in Preschoolers from Poor Homes. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00223-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Determinants of Fruits and Vegetables Consumption among In-School Adolescents in Ghana. ADOLESCENTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/adolescents1020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Background: Fruit and vegetable consumption is an important source of nutrients for healthy growth and development, as well as a protective factor against chronic non-communicable diseases. Paucity of data exists on adolescents’ fruit and vegetable consumption in Ghana. This study, therefore, sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption among in-school adolescents in Ghana. Methods: Data for this study were extracted from the 2012 Global School-Based Health Survey. A cross-sectional analysis on 2786 in-school adolescents from junior and senior high schools was conducted. Descriptive analyses using frequencies and percentages were used to present the results on the prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption. Multivariable binomial regression analysis was performed to determine the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and explanatory variables. The results of the regression analyses were presented using adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with their respective confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of adequate fruits, adequate vegetables, and adequate fruit and vegetable consumption were 35.7%, 26.8%, and 27.8%, respectively. In-school male adolescents had lower odds of adequate fruit and vegetable consumption compared to female adolescents (aOR = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.51–0.82). Adolescents in senior high schools (aOR = 0.36, 95%CI = 0.22–0.61) were less likely to consume adequate fruits and vegetables compared to those in junior high schools. The odds of adequate fruit and vegetable consumption were higher among adolescents who consumed soft drinks (aOR = 3.29, 95%CI = 2.42–4.46), fast foods (aOR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.13–1.77), and those who had sedentary behavior (aOR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.07–1.77). Conclusions: The findings revealed that fruit and vegetable consumption among Ghanaian adolescents is relatively low. Sex of adolescents, grade, soft drink intake, fast food consumption, and sedentary behavior were factors associated with adequate fruit and vegetable consumption. Health promotion interventions to scale up fruit and vegetable consumption should pay attention to the factors identified in this study.
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Badrakhkhuu N, Matsuyama Y, Araki MY, Yasuda YU, Ogawa T, Tumurkhuu T, Ganburged G, Bazar A, Fujiwara T, Moriyama K. Association Between Malocclusion and Academic Performance Among Mongolian Adolescents. FRONTIERS IN DENTAL MEDICINE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fdmed.2020.623768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Malocclusion has been reported to affect the daily lives of schoolchildren adversely, but little is known regarding the association between malocclusion and academic performance. We aimed to investigate the association between malocclusion and academic performance among adolescents in Mongolia.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 767 students aged 7–16 years from two public schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Three orthodontists evaluated the need for malocclusion treatment in the participants and determined the type of malocclusion using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and dental casts. The academic scores of study participants in 20 subjects were provided by their schools. Z-scores within subjects were calculated and aggregated into both overall and in six groups of subject categories comprised of mathematics, science, social science, language, arts, and physical education. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between malocclusion, malocclusion type, and academic score adjusted for gender, age, school, and family income.Results: Of the 767 students, 32.6% had malocclusion, and dental crowding was the most prevalent type (162 cases, 21.1%). Malocclusion was not significantly associated with the z-score of overall academic score [coefficient: 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.11 to 0.19]; however, dental crowding was significantly associated with the overall academic score (coefficient: −0.19, 95% CI: −0.35 to −0.03), after adjusting for covariates. Other types of malocclusion were not associated with academic scores. Among the six subject categories, arts (coefficient: −0.20, 95% CI: −0.36 to −0.04) and physical education (coefficient: −0.24, 95% CI: −0.42 to −0.07) were significantly associated with dental crowding.Conclusions: Schoolchildren in Mongolia with dental crowding may be prone to poor academic performance, particularly in arts and physical education classes. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether the treatment of crowding boosts academic performance.
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Chen Y, Liu X, Yan N, Jia W, Fan Y, Yan H, Ma L, Ma L. Higher Academic Stress Was Associated with Increased Risk of Overweight and Obesity among College Students in China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17155559. [PMID: 32752122 PMCID: PMC7432099 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examined associations between academic stress and overweight and obesity, and moderation effects of gender, grade, and types of college on such associations. Data on academic stress, negative learning events, weight, and height were self-reported by 27,343 college students in China in 2018. About 23% and 91% of students perceived high academic stress and suffered from at least one negative learning event during the past six months, respectively, especially for females, undergraduates, and students major in humanities and social science subject groups. Perceived academic stress was associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity among all students (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.00–1.10), male (OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 1.03–1.15), undergraduate (OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.00–1.11), and students from subordinate universities (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.01–1.26). Negative learning events were associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity among all students (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.01–1.09), undergraduates (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 1.01–1.09), and students from local universities (OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.00–1.14). Interventions are needed to reduce the high academic stress of college students, considering the modifying effects of gender, grade, and college type. Such interventions may further contribute to the prevention of overweight and obesity among college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Chen
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
- Research Centre on College Students Ideological Education and Practice, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Xi Liu
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
| | - Ni Yan
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
| | - Wanru Jia
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
| | - Yahui Fan
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
| | - Hong Yan
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
| | - Lu Ma
- Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (L.M.)
| | - Le Ma
- School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an 710061, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (N.Y.); (W.J.); (Y.F.); (H.Y.)
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (L.M.)
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