NUTRITION AFFECTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Research confirms that one’s academic performance can be affected by nutritional intake. The Journal of the American Dietetic Association says that students who pay attention to their daily nutrient needs perform academically better in school. The researchers explain that inadequate nutrition negatively influences intelligence and academic performance. They argue that low intake of protein and iron reveal poor performance in school going children.

“Those with poor nutrition scored lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general knowledge,” the researchers point out, adding that those students who don’t take breakfast are likely to score lower in tests of speed and accuracy in problem - solving.

These scientist concerned with relationship between nutrition and academic achievement have proved that students with iron deficiency (anemia) have shorter attention spans, irritability, fatigue, and difficulty with concentration, which leads to poor vocabulary, reading, and other test scores. “Protein, in particular tryptophan, improved alertness,” America Journal of Clinical Nutrition says.

While the journal of Personal and Individual Differences notes that those slightly malnourished showed that their intelligence and performance were affected. But improved nutrition corrected these impairments.

The Kenya Education Sector Support Programme (KESSP), 2005-2010, with a aim of “Delivering Quality Education and Training to All Kenyans” indicates that a significant proportion of Kenyan school-going children suffer from mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition.

The report indicates that the ministry of education has an on-going programme of providing of mid-day meal to 2 million to school going children. Because: “temporary hunger adversely affects attention, interest, and learning,”America Journal of Clinical Nutrition says, adding that a review of some 30 studies indicates that skipping breakfast interferes with cognition and learning.

From this facts it is true that “while dietitians cannot guarantee that students who chooses well what and how much he or she eats will necessarily get As,” says Georgia Hodgkin, a professor of nutrition and dietetics, “nutrition does lay the foundation for an alert, retentive brain, a plus for study. Energy level, attention span, academic performance is influenced by eating habits.”

Hodgkin articulate that eating habits is an individual responsibility. He encourages everyone to choose to build a strong, supportive foundation for learning on which a career is built. “Balanced, sound nutrition is an important part of that foundation,” he says.

“The food we eat provides energy needed for all the body systems to function at optimum level,” he says, “every organ and function of the body requires adequate nutrition and energy.” He explains that body cells, including those of the brain, need nutrients and energy for their function and repair.

Just as the body in general require s a balanced nutrition consisting of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water so does the brain, with its intricate nervous system, in order to function optimally.“The estimated requirement for water intake is one milliliter per calorie ingested,” experts say, “a young adult needing 2,000 calories would require 2,000 milliliters or 8.3 cups of water a day.”

“With so much evidence about making the right choice in what you should eat and drink and how diet affects your performance in study and your health, it is only reasonable to give yourself the benefit of a sound nutritional advantage.”