Good Nutrition: The First Step in Getting Kids Ready to Learn

1991 research shows that one out of every four children under age 12 in the U.S. is hungry or is at risk of hunger because their families are experiencing food shortage problems. Such chronic hunger can result in inadequate nutrition and poor health. Most of the hunger in the U.S., however, is "transient hunger," which is short-term, occasional hunger eliminated by eating. Although adults have learned compensatory behavior to cope with transient hunger, children have not yet developed this ability. Transient hunger affects up to 50% of children from all socioeconomic groups on any given school day. Both chronic hunger and transient hunger have a profound effect on a child's physical and mental readiness for their school day, significantly impairing their ability to learn.

All of us have heard this, and now there is research supporting the premise that breakfast is THE most important meal of the day. A nutritious breakfast provides approximately one-fourth of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for key nutrients such as protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. In addition, educators agree that hungry or undernourished children tend to be irritable, apathetic and lethargic, conditions that interfere with learning. Children's hunger has both physical and pyschosocial symptoms. Physical consequences of hunger include stomach pain, headache, muscle fatigue, and sleepiness. Pyschosocial complaints such as anxiety, nervousness, anger, fidgety, hostility, indecisiveness, confusion, and unhappiness are also common.

In a 1990 Carnegie Foundation study, more than half of the teachers surveyed report that poor nourishment among students is a problem at their school. Recent research has shown that children who skip breakfast have trouble concentrating at school and become inattentive and restless by late morning. A 1989 Tufts University study found that children who eat school breakfast perform better on standardized tests and are late or absent from school less often than children who do not eat breakfast at school. In addition, a 1996 Hebrew University study found that children who eat breakfast at school -- closer to class and test-taking time -- perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat at home much earlier. Other studies in children have shown that consumption of a nutritious breakfast results in:

• improved attention in late morning task performance
• quicker and more accurate retrieval of information (i.e. working memory),
• fewer errors made in problem solving activities, and
• better concentration and ability to perform complex tasks.

Nutritionally, children who eat breakfast are much better off than those who skip it. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast have higher 24 hour nutrient intakes when compared to those who skip breakfast. Breakfast skippers do not make up for the lost nutrients later in the day, and average less than 2/3 of the RDA for many nutrients.

Research studies and anecdotal evidence provide compelling reasons for children to get a nutritious breakfast consistently, throughout the school year. Yet, on any one day up to 50% of all children in the U.S. go to school hungry. Failure to make time for breakfast, no access to nutritious foods, and lack of appetite first thing in the morning are some reasons given for skipping this important meal.

The composition of the meal makes a difference in how long breakfast will sustain a child throughout the morning. As shown in figure 1 below, a balanced breakfast consisting of sugar, starch, protein and fat gives a child energy and prevents a drop in blood sugar for several hours. A breakfast of sugar or starch only lasts 1-2 hours (figure 2). In general, a meal including a variety of foods from several food groups will provide the most benefits to a child, educationally, nutritionally, and physically. A balanced breakfast that keeps a child energized until lunch can be a quick and easy meal… at home, at school, or on the go.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

The most effective way to incorporate a nutritious breakfast back into our childrens' lives will vary depending on the students and their families' needs and lifestyles, as well as on the particular school and school district. Some possibilities to consider include encouraging students and their families to make time for a nutritious breakfast at home, on the way to school or at school with a school breakfast program.

You as a leader in your school community are in a unique position to comprehend the scope and consequences of skipping breakfast and advocate the well-established link between breakfast and learning. Promoting the importance of eating breakfast will help ensure that your students are prepared for their educational day. No single agency, organization, school administrator, health professional or parent can single-handedly solve the problem of poor nutrition among our nation's youth. It will take the combined effort of all of these groups to make an impact. Because even moderate undernutrition, the type seen most frequently in the U.S., can have lasting effects on the cognitive development of children, it is critical that their nutritional needs are met. Consistent, healthy food intake throughout the day and throughout the year meets important educational outcomes in addition to health outcomes. And, because eating habits developed during childhood have the potential to last a lifetime, the long-term benefits of ensuring our children eat nutritious meals every day will last years after they have graduated.

Developed by Dairy Council of California, 1997