Individual-Level Fitness and Absenteeism in New York City Middle School Youths, 2006–2013
ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 15 — January 11, 2018
PEER REVIEWED
Student selection started with students attending a general education NYC public school enrolled in grades 6, 7, or 8 for the entire academic year during 2006–2007 through 2012–2013 (N = 457,397). Excluded were 6,225 students enrolled less than n − 5 days, where n = maximum days enrolled across students per year, leaving 451,172 students. Students were also excluded if Fitnessgram measurements were missing for 2 or more consecutive years while in 5th through 8th grades during 2006–2007 through 2012–2013 (n = 56,464), leaving 394,708 students with Fitnessgram measurements for a minimum of 2 consecutive years. Next, students from schools with poor-quality fitness data during 2009–2010 through 2010–2011 were excluded based on all students decreasing in height over time (n = 350), leaving 394,358 students with acceptable fitness data quality. Also excluded were students who changed schools during 6th through 8th grades (n = 44,977). After the above exclusions, the final sample included 349,381 unique 6th- through 8th-grade students.
Figure 1.
Sample selection flowchart for the association of fitness and absenteeism in New York City (NYC) public middle school students, 2006–2007 through 2012–2013.
Figure 2.
Mean days absent per year by grade across fitness-change categories in New York City public middle school students (N = 349,381), 2006–2007 through 2012–2013. Change in fitness composite percentile scores based on Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) Push-up and Curl-up Fitnessgram tests from the year prior. Categories are based on tabulated mean estimates.
| Fitness Change | Mean Days Absent Per Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | |
| >20% Decrease | 10.6 | 11.6 | 13.9 |
| 10%–20% Decrease | 10.2 | 10.6 | 12.6 |
| <10% Change | 10.0 | 10.1 | 11.9 |
| 10%–20% Increase | 9.7 | 9.7 | 11.5 |
| >20% Increase | 9.6 | 9.8 | 11.9 |
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