Menu

Howbury School Lagos


IMPACT OF NUTRITION ON LEARNING PROCESS

Nutrition is the study of food and how it affects the body.

Nutrient such as Protein, carbohydrate, Fat, Vitamin, Mineral are essential for proper functioning of the body system. If children do not have the right balance of nutrients in their diet, their risk of developing certain health and learning condition increases. The body system needs mineral such as iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium etc to function properly.

Certain nutrients have greater effects on brain development than others do, these nutrients can be derived from foods as whole grains, natural fruits, vegetables, food rich in fiber, lean proteins such as egg, fish, nut, chicken etc.


Studies have proved that meal rich in nutrient seems to play a crucial role in pupils overall achievement in school while some studies have been able to link low- nutrient foods to low performance in learning.

It is no longer news that most school children are fed with food high in simple carbohydrate like : bread, noodles, pasta, processed cereal, rice etc  reasons have always been that such foods are easily accessible, affordable, they are ready without stress. Also, a great category of such foods are often advertised on the social media  than foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Simple carbohydrate foods are easily broken down to glucose. According to the society for Neuroscience, recent research reveals that diet with high level in glucose causes an incredible drop in energy, focus and mental performance. As glucose is ingested, the body releases insulin in order to process the foods, normally, after a healthy meal, glucose levels should rise slightly and a body should feel energized afterwards.

Children’s brain need a variety of nutrients such as proteins, complex carbohydrate, vitamins etc such found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables to focus, recall and regulate emotions. Children that are fed with simple carbohydrates get hungry easily and this results to low attention span and lack of sustainable energy during class.


Malnutrition can result in long -term neural issues in the brain which can impact a child’s emotional responses, reaction to stress, learning disabilities. Margaret Lahey and Shari Rosen discovered in their findings that” Malnourished children were found to have delays in vision, fine motor skills, language skills and personal-social skills, it was also discovered that not only are unhealthy foods proven to negatively affect learning process but also children’s behavior in and outside of school.

A diet that is rich in plant-based foods and limited processed food, specific vitamins should be incorporated to target definite functions. For example to improve memory, parents should invest in foods rich in lecithin such as peanut, soybean, etc. Potassium which aids in energy and brain functioning and can be derived from oranges, banana, avocadoes, melons, peaches egg, etc. Parent should avoid processed food, include healthy snacks such as apples, carrot, banana to ultimately promote a healthier body, behavior and brain power.

 

 

 

Go Back

Comment