Relationship between obesity and school absenteeism in Australian children: Implications for carer productivity

Joseph Carrello; Thomas Lung; Anagha Killedar; Louise A Baur; Alison Hayes

doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2021.09.006

Relationship between obesity and school absenteeism in Australian children: Implications for carer productivity

Obes Res Clin Pract. 2021 Nov-Dec;15(6):587-592. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2021.09.006. Epub 2021 Oct 6.

Authors

Joseph Carrello¹, Thomas Lung², Anagha Killedar³, Louise A Baur⁴, Alison Hayes³

Affiliations

¹ Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: jcar6556@uni.sydney.edu.au.
² Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; The George Institute for Global Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ The University of Sydney, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Westmead, Australia; Weight Management Services, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia.

PMID: 34625400
DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2021.09.006

Abstract

Background: Economic evaluations of childhood obesity interventions are often used to assist decision making when presented with alternative course of action. Including indirect costs related to productivity losses is recommended; in children this would include school absenteeism. Our aim was to determine the association between school absenteeism and weight status among Australian children and estimate the indirect costs of this.

Methods: We used data from a nationally representative sample of 8551 Australian children in the Longitudinal study of Australian Children (LSAC) with follow-up between 2006 and 2018. A mixed-effects negative binomial regression model was used to investigate the relationship between school absenteeism and weight status, controlling for age, sex, socio-economic position, indigenous status, rural/remote status and long-term medical conditions. We used average daily wages for the year 2018 to value the indirect costs of school absenteeism (through caregiver lost productivity).

Results: Australian children with obesity aged 6-13 years missed on average an extra day of school annually compared to children of a healthy weight (p = 0.004), while adolescents with obesity aged 14-17 years missed on average an extra 0.69 days of school annually (p = 0.006). The estimated national cost for children with obesity aged 6-13 years was approximately $64 million AUD ($43 million USD) or $338 AUD ($230 USD) per child through caregiver lost productivity in 2018.

Conclusions: There is a small but significant association between school absenteeism and childhood obesity in Australia which is estimated to generate a considerable national cost through caregiver productivity losses. Our results will assist health economists evaluating childhood obesity interventions capture the full extent of the associated costs with this condition.

Keywords: Childhood obesity; Indirect costs; Productivity losses; School absenteeism.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Absenteeism
Adolescent
Australia / epidemiology
Caregivers*
Child
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Pediatric Obesity* / epidemiology
Schools