The Role of Sleep, School Lunch, and Relationships for School Enjoyment

Objectives: This study examined the relationship among students' school enjoyment, health behaviors, and social relationships at school. Methods: The sample included 487 children of both sexes, ages 9 to 13, from 25 classrooms in Finland and Norway. Data include surveys from children and teachers. A multilevel regression analysis was used. Results: The student-level variables of sleep duration and eating school lunch were associated with higher levels of school enjoyment. The student-level and class-level variables of teacher support and peer victimization were associated with school enjoyment. Conclusions: Emphasizing the importance of sleeping and dietary habits, improving lunch arrangements and the quality of school lunch, and developing social relationships in schools might promote students' school enjoyment.