Impact of Nutritional Status and Related Factors on Academic Achievement of High School Adolescents, Hlaing Tharyar District, Yangon, Myanmar

Abstract

Chronic malnutrition in adolescents may result in significant academic difficulties. The impact of nutritional status and related factors on the academic achievement of adolescents in high schools in Myanmar was determined. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire on food intake and other factors potentially affecting nutritional status was used to gather information from 301 students aged 13–17. Grade-point averages (GPA) in the previous academic year were also recorded. Most respondents showed average body mass index values, followed by underweight, overweight, and obese. Regarding academic achievement, a GPA of A, B, C, and D was seen in 41.5%, 36.2%, 15.3%, and 7.0% of the respondents, respectively. Nutritional status was significantly associated with academic achievement. Underweight students had a 1.96 times higher likelihood of achieving mediocre grades (C, D) than normal-weight students. Among other factors examined, only the number of meals per day was associated with nutritional status. The duration of the walk to school, the duration of watching or playing games, and the parent’s socioeconomic status were associated with academic achievement. The study found an association between nutrition-related factors on levels of academic achievement of adolescent students in the study area