Courtesy of the Dr. Patrick Massey, Columnist, Daily Herald
Can food and vitamins improve academic performance in children?
The answer is yes. In two recent clinical trials, consuming fruits and vegetables as well as a multivitamin every day resulted in improved academic performance in children.
Academic performance, especially on standardized tests, is an important way that the current educational system measures its success. We know that if children consistently miss breakfast or have a nutritionally poor lunch, they seem to have lower academic performance. Current medical research has shown that more nutritious food in the elderly improves cognitive function and memory. It seems to be intuitive that healthy food, in the proper amounts and at the right time, should result in better academic performance for children.
In one study, done at the University of Prince Edward Island, 325 junior high school students kept a food diary. On average, the daily intake of fruits and vegetables as well as milk was below national recommendations. The children who ate the most fruits and vegetables on a daily basis had the best academic performance with average scores at about the 90th percentile. There was no association with milk.
In a second study, conducted at Northumbria University in Great Britain, the effect of a daily multivitamin with minerals on academic performance was evaluated. In this study, 81 healthy children between ages 8 and 14 were enrolled. The participants were randomized to receive a multivitamin plus minerals or a placebo. After 12 weeks, the children were tested. Those who received the multivitamins and minerals performed significantly better.
From my own experience, my mother never let us out of the house without breakfast, and our lunches and dinners were nutritionally balanced because she made them. In addition, a daily multivitamin was a must. Today, it is not uncommon for high school students to breakfast on a large cup of coffee and a sweet roll followed by a mediocre school-based lunch and a pizza for dinner.
If we want our children to do their best in school and beyond, they need the best "fuel" available. This starts with good nutrition and, probably, a good multivitamin. There is increasing evidence that the health of a child will determine the lifelong health of the adult. I don't believe that we need to wait for large, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials before, as parents, we act responsibly.
Bonnie and Steve - we could not agree more with Dr. Massey.
1 comment:
I think it is possible to never have to say "eat your vegetables" again. That's why I wrote "The ABC’s of Fruits & Vegetables and Beyond.” There is no doubt that the foundation of a healthy diet and weight control is the significant consumption of vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, many adults do not like these fine foods - so we must make sure kids don’t develop these attitudes. Parents and teachers interested in getting kids to develop friendly feelings towards fruits and vegetables should take a look at a new book called “The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond.” Out only a few months and already being bought in quantity for class use. Suited for kids of all ages as it is two books in one – children first learn their alphabet through produce poems and then go on to more mature activities. It is coauthored by best-selling food writer David Goldbeck (me) and Jim Henson writer Steve Charney. Say hello to us at HealthyHighways.com
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