RICHMOND, Va -- Children in our area may not want to hear it, but the 2015-2016 academic year will be here soon. While the summer may be a great time for them to relax, though, health experts say it can also have some negative effects.
An analysis from the Review of Medical Research finds that, during the summer, many students forget some of the material they learned in the previous academic year. The effect of the 'summer slide,' as they cal it, is even more pronounced on underprivileged students who already struggle academically.
The effects are not just limited to learning, though. Health is also impacted. Research out of Columbia University finds children consume more sugar and eat fewer fruits and vegetables during the summer. They also watch 18 more minutes of television per day, on average.
Children in lower income families, especially girls, also get much less exercise during the summer.
As the academic year nears, health experts say there are a few things parents can do to reverse those effects and prepare their children for school. They include:
- Encouraging children to get more exercise
- Feeding children healthier foods
- Encouraging them to review some of the previous year's lessons in the main subjects, so they're ready for the upcoming academic year.
