Geier, Andrew B. Obesity, Vol. 15 No. 8. August, 2007. This study examined the association between relative weight and absenteeism in 1,069 fourth to sixth graders from nine public schools in an urban area. The researchers found that obese children were absent significantly more than the normal weight children. Several possible reasons for lower attendance are social difficulties and behavior problems, as well as medical conditions, such as asthma, associated with obesity.