What Impact Does Food Have on Learning?
Whether you are a child or an adult, you know it is difficult to focus on the task at hand when you feel hungry. You or a loved one may have become hangry once or twice when your unsatisfied appetite leads to irritability. Per an article in UVA Today:
“There is pretty solid evidence that children who are hungry are not able to focus, so they have a low attention span, behavioral issues, discipline issues in the school,” said Sibylle Kranz, an associate professor of kinesiology and a registered dietitian nutritionist in the Curry School.
It is important to make sure children eat well as they wake up begins and throughout the school day but feeling full is not the only goal of eating. Children who typically consume foods that are surgery or high in saturated fats may have less energy and a lower ability to concentrate on and remember what they are learning.
It is important to establish or re-establish a good daily routine. Whether you are out of school for summer, snow days, or social distancing, this is not a time to let your children through their bedtimes and wake up times out the window. Furthermore, starting their distance learning day with a big bowl of sugary cereal or doughnuts, you can expect them to be dragging and having difficulty focusing by lunch.
What Foods Facilitate Learning?
They type of food that the CDC recommends for learning and growing children are those that have adequate amounts of dietary fiber and are low in fat. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein-rich foods will help children feel satisfied and full while improving their ability to focus and commit what they are learning to memory. Additionally, when your child’s diet improves, there are many other potential health benefits, including:
- Proper diet and nutrition reduce childhood obesity
- Healthy foods can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes
- A healthy diet provides your child with more energy
- With more energy, your child may be more engaged in exercise activities
- Less sugary snacks should reduce the occurrence of cavities and dental issues
Whether your child is learning from home or has returned to their regular education institution, or they are learning from home, healthy eating habits will help them learn more effectively and give them the energy to enjoy the day.
Haywood Christian Academy
At Haywood Christian Academy, we have experienced the importance of coming together as a community even while social distancing. Our students have been engaged academically and spiritually through digital learning techniques throughout this season of pandemic. Though we are not currently holding regular, on-campus office hours, we are responding to voicemails and emails from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday. If you would like to know more information about our school, do not hesitate to contact us.
As soon as we can, we will work with you to schedule a tour and meet our incredible faculty and staff. In the meantime, we are continuing to pray for our community, nation, and world.