Linking Health to Learning
While it is clear that good nutrition and regular and vigorous activity are good for children’s health, it has also become apparent that these activities can help improve learning and the chances of academic success.
Nutrition Affects Brain Function
Children’s brain function is diminished by:
- Short term or periodic hunger
- Missing or skipping meals
A common result of poor nutrition is an iron deficiency, which can lead to:
- Fatigue and shortened attention span
- Reduced resistance to infection, which leads to missed days of school
- Poor scores on vocabulary and reading tests
Students who eat breakfast show:
- Increased math and reading scores
- Increased attention
- Reduced nurse visits
- Improved classroom behaviors
Physical Activity and Learning
- Well nourished, active students have better concentration, school attendance, and test scores.
- Higher achievement is associated with higher fitness levels for 5th, 7th, and 9th graders, especially in math.
- Students who spend more time in PE and less time in class do not have lower grades or test scores, and in fact often have higher scores.
- In a Los Angeles Unified School District pilot program, three elementary schools with increased physical activity minutes showed a significant increase in fitness and API scores.
- Teachers rate classroom behavior higher when the children have had recess.
- The on-task classroom behavior of elementary school students improves when they are given time for physical activity breaks.