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The Importance of Nutrition
The Importance of Nutrition
What is Nutrition
It is the process of supplying or getting the right meals required for health and growth
Our bodies get their energy from nutrients, which can be divided into categories including carbs, lipids, fiber, minerals, proteins, vitamins, and water.
Getting the proper number of nutrients from healthy foods in the right proportions constitutes good nutrition. In addition to many of the most common chronic diseases of today, such as coronary heart disease, and cancer; poor nutrition can cause an absence of energy, digestive issues, food allergies, weight gain, melancholy, and anxiety.
Among many other advantages, improving your diet can result in higher energy levels, healthier skin, and better sleep. Nutritional education can result in lifetime health at its best. Nutritionists offer clients advice on what to eat and how to alter their diets to help them maintain or regain maximum health, as well as to treat illness and fend off disease. Everyone cares deeply about food, and many people are beginning to understand how important it is to both your short- and long-term health.
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Why Teach Nutrition?
Why Teach Nutrition?
A healthy diet can influence emotional well-being, and nutrition education can help students understand how emotions can affect eating habits. A healthy diet supports normal growth, development, and aging, helps people maintain healthy body weight, and lowers the risk of developing chronic diseases, all of which contribute to overall health and well-being.
People who regularly consume more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars, or salt/sodium and consume insufficient amounts of fruit, vegetables, and foods containing whole grains are more likely to develop chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, according to the Government of Western Australia Department of Health, Why is nutrition important?.
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A healthy diet discusses why and how particular foods affect our mental and physical health in addition to what we eat. It can enhance a child's physical health, which frequently aids in intellectual achievement. Children typically do better on tests, frequently leaving school with higher test scores, increasing their chances of receiving state financing for higher education. The best way to introduce nutrition education is to lead by example and involve your children in regular home cooking. Tell them the value of eating and how it provides our bodies with energy. We often crash at home or at school if we don't eat good, nourishing food.
According to Magnus Health, Benefits of Nutrition Education, quick ways we can ensure our kids have the best nutrition education at school and at home is to include a school garden in the curriculum; link your classroom nutrition lessons to the daily meals that the children eat in the cafeteria; incorporate worksheets or advice about nutrition in student newsletters; teach children how to properly read nutrition labels; and invite local farmers to speak with students about the food they produce and the benefits of eating locally.
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Why there Should be More Exercise in Schools
Why there Should be More Exercise in Schools
Physical activity is good for everyone, but it is super important for adolescents ages 6-17. Students should be working out at least 3 days a week with a minimum of 60 minutes or more of physical activity. But what the CDC found is that only 24% of adolescents barely get 60 minutes of physical activity every day. (CDC, 2022) What they should be focusing on physical activity that includes aerobics, muscle strengthening, and bone-strengthening during their 60 minutes. This is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, as a recommendation, is that they found that students who are more physically active do better in school with their grades, attendance, cognitive performance, and overall behaviors. The CDC states that “51.7% of high school students attend their physical education class in an average week and only 29.9% of the students attend the class daily.” (CDC, 2022).
Students are suffering more because of the lack of physical education they are receiving from bad grades to health conditions that they may develop like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. A huge problem that students face nowadays is mental health and exercise can help this too. So many students face the stress of many different things in school and most students feel pressure to be the best they can be. But this leaves little to no time to exercise to release the built-up stress.
Physical activity can be great for stress by reducing the effects that come from it and reversing them. Stress may cause depression and anxiety as well, but what studies show us is certain types of physical activity may reduce symptoms of these disorders. An article written by Dr. John J. Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, states that “exercise reroutes the brain circuits, reduces muscle tension, and teaches a different outcome to an anxiety-provoking situation” (Ratey, 2013).
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What they Teach Currently
What they Teach Currently
The NEA and CDC have been suggesting and recommending nutritional education courses to be added to the curriculum for years. Even with this, school districts have been unable to meet the 40-50 hour behavioral change in order to incorporate nutrition education into the mandated curriculum (CDC). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students in the United States receive less than 8 hours of nutritional education per year. There has been about a 12% decrease in the percentage of schools even offering nutritional education from 2000-2014 (CDC). This depicts backward progress.
As discussed, there is a myriad of benefits to teaching nutrition in school systems. Enforcing better health and wellness, longer life, and increased energy and strength, it is vital that children know how they need to fuel their bodies for success (FoodCorps).
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Currently, students are being taught minimal health education and it is not sufficient, nor in its own course. Many schools have added designated classes to discuss nutrition and proper dieting and wellness. However, these classes are being taught in informal settings like gym classes where students are often not in full attention for.
The topics discussed in the classes are often broad and surface-level, which is not merely enough for student retention. Diets, proper food groups, and how to read a nutrition label, are often the most common topics discussed, despite the ample options (CDE). Nutrition is also commonly offered as an elective with gym, but not mandated and not discussed in detail, which is where the disconnect comes up.
Where is the Disconnect?
Where is the Disconnect?
In California, the curriculum is “strongly encouraged” but not fully enforced due to time and budget constraints (CDE). The disconnect falls between lack of resources. With an addition to the school curriculum, you will need money, teachers, spaces to teach (such as labs), and time in the schedule to offer and mandate the course.
Within public schools across the country, it would be an immense challenge, especially due to financial constraints. Moreover, on the concern of time, public schools across America have only about 7 hours in the school day. With the basic subjects, there is not enough time to add in more, especially putting them in a hierarchical order, when they are all relevant and important but not possible to execute into the schedule. Other classes that are argued to be equally important are drug and alcohol abuse, sexual health, and technology classes, so adding nutrition would be another equally unfeasible course.
Additionally, there is a multitude of financial constraints especially given school funding. With failed national bills introduced, and separate grants given like in California, and other income areas, it is expected to be very hard to fund (FoodCorps).
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Who has Access to Education on Nutrition?
Who has Access to Education on Nutrition?
Teenagers from low-income neighborhoods may have limited knowledge of nutrition and sports supplements and receive less support and resources for their academic endeavors.
It has been demonstrated that even a brief nutrition education program can greatly increase the knowledge of sports supplements and nutrition among high school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (Little JC, Perry DR, Volpe SL, 2002). One of the most crucial stages in a person's growth is adolescence. Adolescents from low socioeconomic status (SES) communities are more likely than those from higher SES groups to demonstrate patterns of inadequate food consumption and an imbalance of educational resources and support.
People from low SES communities generally have inadequate diets. Because they lack the skills to prepare nutritious meals, they frequently choose high-fat, fast foods over those that are rich in nutrients. Adolescents lack the basic nutrition information necessary to distinguish between supplements that are safe to use, those that could be dangerous, and those that are easily obtained through diet.
The experimental group's large increase in knowledge from the pre- to post-intervention period suggests that five sessions of nutrition supplement education can significantly increase teenagers' knowledge about these products in low-income communities (Little JC, Perry DR, Volpe SL, 2002). There was a tendency for girls to enhance nutrition knowledge more than boys in research to ascertain the efficiency of a nutrition supplement educational intervention in enhancing the nutrition supplement knowledge of teenagers from a low-income community.
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On their nutrition knowledge test, women performed better than men. Vitamin C, iron, and calcium were the supplements that people reported using the most frequently. The reasons given by the students for taking vitamin C supplements reflect several widespread misconceptions regarding the nutritional function of vitamin C, such as "help keep them healthy" and "help avoid colds." (Little JC, Perry DR, Volpe SL, 2002). Barely any of the respondents, according to responses from both groups, were aware of the physiological function of iron in the body. Only two students connected iron to the blood, despite the fact that iron is consumed for energy. The many functions that iron performs in the body, including delivering oxygen to the body's functioning muscles, were unknown to the students. Those who admitted taking calcium supplements had good justifications for their decisions. They understood how calcium helps bone mineralization, which produced strong bones and healthy development. Among the experimental group, only 14% admitted to taking protein supplements. The justifications for consuming protein supplements (to aid in weight loss; "because they taste delicious") (Little JC, Perry DR, Volpe SL, 2002). Protein is a crucial macronutrient for the body, and the amino acid building blocks of protein are necessary for the body's synthesis of muscle, hormones, enzymes, and connective tissue. Chronic overconsumption or supplementation may put undue stress on key organs (such as the kidney and liver) and should not be viewed as a method of weight loss. It serves as a substrate for the growth and maintenance of bodily tissue (Little JC, Perry DR, Volpe SL, 2002).
Importance of School Lunch
Importance of School Lunch
Many schools don't have access to proper nutrition, mainly due to the lack of funding in lower-class schools. If younger kids are not given the nutrition they need at a young age, they can miss out on a critical growing stage. Especially for lower-class children who sometimes don’t get the nutrition they need outside of school, giving those children the nutritious meals they need is more important than we understand. Providing these students with proper meals will not only set students up for success physically but also in the classroom as well.
Research shows that improved nutrition in schools leads to increased focus and attention, improved test scores, and better classroom behavior (Healthy Schools Campaign). Eating nutritious, healthy meals at the beginning of the day and then again for lunch, gives students the fuel they need to function throughout the day properly. If a student is hungry, they won’t be able to focus during the school day.
In addition, a healthy diet can increase the levels of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and improve neurogenesis in the hippocampus while increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus can improve our learning, memory, mood, attention, and mental health (Richard Addante, Sara Jones, Gabriella Musacchia, Emma James 2021). A better start to a child’s day can improve their outlook on learning and their overall day.
When schools hand a garbage plate of food to their kids, what does that teach them down the line? The effects of poor nutrition from school lunches go beyond weight gain, a child who eats too much fat, sugar, sodium, or processed food and too few vitamins and minerals is likely to develop a higher risk over time for several chronic health problems (Schuna, 2020). According to the Weight-Control Information Network, about a third of kids and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese (Schuna, 2020).
To try to accommodate these eating habits, in 2012, the U.S. government updated the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Modifications include fruits and vegetables as separate meal groups, offering fruit every day, making half of the grain choices whole grains, giving different grades and different meal sizes, and reducing sodium and trans fat in meals. However, not all schools implement the NSLP and not all students eat the healthier choices schools do provide (Schuna, 2020). By having more schools follow these rules, all students, low, middle, and high-class students can get all of the nutrients they need from a young age.
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Around 30 million kids participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) on a typical school day in the US (Gearan EC, Monzella K, Jennings L, Fox MK, 2020). For children from low-income households who are qualified to receive meals for free or at a reduced cost, the NSLP offers a crucial safety net. Children who attend schools in specific low-income regions receive free meals as well. NSLP lunches must adhere to nutritional requirements that guarantee the meals follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs).
According to earlier studies, kids who take part in the NSLP have overall better diets and eat healthier lunches than kids who pack their own lunches or obtain their lunch somewhere else (Gearan EC, Monzella K, Jennings L, Fox MK, 2020). Yet, children's diets do not adhere to DGA recommendations. Children typically eat fewer fruits, vegetables, and healthful grains as well as more empty calories and sodium. Additionally, studies have shown that a child's race and ethnicities external factors, affect the nutritional value of their diet.
Starting healthy eating habits at a young age is essential for young kids to grow and learn. By providing students with a nutritious meal every single day, they are more likely to continue on the path of healthy eating throughout their lives. Supporting kids’ healthy habits along with nutritious meals helps students develop lifelong healthy eating habits, contributing to a culture of wellness at school, and reinforcing nutrition education messages from teachers. While healthy school food can also increase school connectedness and reinforce to children, families, and the community that students’ health and well-being are valued (Healthy Schools Campaign). Having a deficiency of proper nutrition throughout the day can lead to not only a lack of focus in school, but also out of school, at home, and through their relationships. If students are presented with free school lunches, it will reduce food insecurity, obesity rates, and poor health (Ashbrook, Frac, & Betz 2023). If children are accustomed to healthy eating habits now, they will be less likely to develop an eating disorder later in life. However, if they aren’t given the opportunity to eat a filling and nutritious meal every day for every meal, they are more likely to continue the pattern as they grow up.
Overall, the benefits of proper nutritious school meals outweigh any school budget. Proper nutrition is tied to better academic performance, better relationships, athletic performance, and so much more. Kids who eat unhealthy lunches are more likely to score lower on tests and have a harder time with schoolwork. There are long-term effects as well, according to a 2012 article written by registered dietitian Timi Gustafson, “not getting enough essential nutrients at meals may lower kids' IQ scores, memory capacities, fine motor skills, social skills, and languages skills into early adulthood and beyond” (Schuna, 2020). A child's poor dietary habits can even influence their sleep patterns, which may affect cognitive behaviors and academic abilities (Schuna, 2020). With the lack of fuel and sleep, children are susceptible to injuries and long-term health issues. Children who don’t get the nutrients and power they need from meals display more aggressiveness, less mental endurance, and lower intelligence test scores.
How Schools Should Teach Nutrition
How Schools Should Teach Nutrition
High School
Nutrition education programs should have a baseline as to what each grade should be taught and the level of what they will retain. For example, high school-level kids should learn about meal planning, shopping, and budgeting. Within school hours they are required to take a physical education class, but not all schools require it all four years, and most of the time they are not working out as much as they should if they're not an athlete. In high school, they should start to learn what their body needs to do in order to function when they graduate. Most students are going through puberty and are learning more about their bodies all through high school (Randolph, 2021).
Middle School
In middle school, they should focus more on what they can start doing on their own, how they can incorporate physical activity into their lives, gardening, cooking, and overall the basics of what food they need to have enough energy and not eat fat and sugary foods (Gavin, 2019). In elementary school, there should be specific nutrition topics that apply to different subjects they already learn in school. When they are learning about science, incorporate growing vegetables or fruit (Kaplan Early Learning Company, 2023). In PE classes, they should be focused more on what activities they like to do so that they learn other alternatives than just sitting on the couch. There are certain nutritional education requirements in schools now, but it differs in each state. For example, in New York, High school students nine through 12th grade must have PE in high school. Students must have at least 180 minutes of PE per week and each student must earn the equivalent of four credits in or to graduate.
The Plan
The plan of action for the curriculum can be creative. It has been mapped out by NEA officials, and California educators, and the most ideal setup would be a class every few years with a lab in elementary and middle school, to ensure the learning from a young age so the importance is introduced early on (California Department of Education, 2022). The lab could look at macros, ingredients, and cooking. Also, with higher funding, there could be field trips to farms and food labs to see real-life examples. Food safety would be another important thing to teach, as well as health in food such as allergies and sensitivities. Overall, there are a myriad of ways nutritional education could be taught and incorporated into the elementary curriculum to ensure students learn from a young age how exigent and relevant food is to overall health and wellbeing.
Elementary School
However, in elementary and middle schools they must have PE for at least 90 minutes per week. What is taught in each class is how to be physically fit, why physical activity is important, and how it can benefit a person now and throughout their lifetime. As you can see there is not much time for a student to get the correct amount of physical activity a day and what they teach for health classes are very general and broad as to what is taught. For healthy talk about mental, emotional, and social health nutrition and physical activity, personal health and safety growth, and development drugs are used in how to prevent disease and illness.
Health Class
For health classes in high school, students only have to receive one semester of health education. There are so many subjects that need to be taught about nutrition and one semester is not long enough. Even though most states have this requirement there should be more going into what children learn about the nutritional value and physical education and the importance of being active at their age (New York City Public Schools, 2023).
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Conclusion
Conclusion
In conclusion, nutrition education in schools has been taught poorly, resulting in a lack of understanding among students about the importance of healthy eating habits. This lack of education has contributed to the rise of obesity rates and other health issues among children and adolescents. Additionally, there is a significant need for nutrition equity in schools, as students from low-income families often have limited access to healthy food options and nutrition education. To address these issues, schools should prioritize implementing nutrition education programs and ensure that all students have access to healthy food options. It is essential to prioritize nutrition equity and provide resources to families in need, as good nutrition is critical for overall health and well-being. By prioritizing nutrition education and equity in schools, we can help ensure that future generations have the tools and knowledge they need to make healthy choices and lead healthy lives.
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Authors:
Authors:
Baxter, Anna - Junior - Legal Studies and Psychology - 2024
Mangan, Kelsey - Sophomore - Finance Major - 2025
Pierce, Taylor - Sophomore - Marketing Major - 2025
Wood, Charlene - Sophomore - Secondary Education and Mathematics - 2025
References
References
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