Conclusion
overweight
HOLIDAY
In summary, this study provides important insights into the differential rates of change in children’s fitness and fatness during in-school and summer holiday periods. Our findings suggest that during the holiday period, there is a significant increase in the rate of change of percentage body fat and a significant decline in fitness. Furthermore, we found that socio-demographic characteristics such as SES and weight status moderated the rates of change in fitness and fatness, with children who were overweight and from lower-SES families exhibiting relatively faster increases in fatness and declines in fitness during the holiday period compared to the in-school period. These findings have important implications for policymakers and public health practitioners, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address the summer holiday deficits in children’s fitness and fatness, particularly among low-SES and overweight populations. Overall, this study contributes to the international literature on children’s summer holiday fatness and fitness, and underscores the importance of longitudinal studies using high-quality measures of fitness and fatness in school settings.