Diet and Behavior
From WikEd
[edit] Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of
Remember when you were a kid and while babysitting you, you got so excited because your grandmother let you have a glass of soda or a cookie? Do you also remember your mother freaking out when she picked you up because you were bouncing off the walls because your grandmother gave you sugar? Let’s use this bit of knowledge and have a glance at what a typical student eats during the day:
-Breakfast: A doughnut or two or maybe a bowl of cereal like Super-Duper Chocolate Coated in Sugar.
-Mid-day: A soda and maybe a candy bar.
-Lunch: Cafeteria food! Pizza, french fries with nacho cheese, a soda, and two chocolate cookies for dessert.
Let’s stop there...a typical student consumes a lot of sugar everyday before the schoolday even ends. We all know that this much sugar is going to make kids crazy – they won’t be able to sit still or pay attention, and so they start misbehaving.
For years, researchers have tried to find a reason why so many students misbehave in schools. There seemed to be no common thread between all students that misbehave; some had problems at home and some did not; some had a behavior disability and some did not; some had failing grades and some excelled. Researchers are now turning to a child’s diet, especially the cafeteria food that students buy day after day at school that consists of pizza, soda, muffins, french fries, cookies, and other foods high in sugar and fat that are bound to make kids bounce off the walls. The same goes for the schools with an open-campus policy for lunch and students go to fast-food resturants like McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, and Arby’s.
Other Dietary Concerns
One of the causes of decreased attention, alertness and learning is an iron deficiency. Often times it is evident even below anemic levels. Much research has been done indicating decreased performance in school and it's link to iron deficiency. [Halterman et al. 2001] Iron Supplimentation greatly increases memory, cognitive skills and learning in children that are deficient.
Several substances tend to either mimic or induce the stress response, or decrease the efficiency of the body's metabolic pathways, thus setting the stage for more pronounced physiological reactions to stress. Likewise, the stress response can deplete nutrients essential to managing the stress response. For example:
Sugar: Excess sugar tends to deplete vitamin stores, especially the B vitamins which are crucial for optimal function of the central nervous system. Depletion of B vitamins may result in fatigue, anxiety and irritability. In addition, excess simple sugars can cause major fluctuations in blood glucose levels, resulting in pronounced fatigue, headaches, irritability, and weight gain.
There is a common misconception that sugar can make kids "hyper". However, research over the years has proven this to be a myth. For more information, check out the links in the reference section under "Sugar and Hyperactivity"
Fats: You've likely heard all the bad news about how fat creates artery- clogging cholesterol and weight gain. In addition to the negative health affects, high-fat diet also leaves you feeling lethargic and tired. Diets high in whole grains, fiber, fruits, and vegetables are much healthier for your body and your brain activity.
Caffeine: Caffeine stimulates the release of several stress hormones resulting in a state of hyperalertness and makes a person more susceptible to interpret events as stressful. Caffeine causes the heart rate to increase for a period of time, but when the effects wear off, the persons behavior changes again.
Salt: High sodium intake acts to increase water retention, and as water volume increases, blood pressure increases. Continuous high salt intake can lead to chronic hypertension and the need for medical treatment.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: Chronic stress can deplete several vitamins necessary for energy metabolism, as well as those necessary for the stress response itself. The stress response activates several hormones responsible for mobilizing and metabolizing fats and carbohydrates for energy production. The breakdown of fats and carbohydrates requires vitamins, specifically the B vitamins and Vitamin C. An inadequate supply of these may affect mental alertness, promote depression and lead to insomnia. Stress is also associated with the depletion of calcium and the inability of bones to absorb it properly.
[edit] Application in classrooms and similar settings
Before diet seemed to be a common factor, the problem seemed to be attention deficit disorder, ADD, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, the most commonly diagnosed behavioral problems in children in the United States. An estimated three to five percent of all children suffer from the reduced attentiveness and concentration, excessive activity, distractibility, and impulsiveness that are its most common signs. That’s one child for every classroom in the country. (Schardt)
Appleton Charter Alternative High School in Wisconsin opened in 1996 to give individualized attention to students with behavior problems struggling in the conventional school settings (Keeley, p2). In 1998, the school implemented a Nutrition and Wellness Program in which a nutritional breakfast is served in the morning, and lunch is served for both the morning and afternoon sessions, as well as students are given access to work out equipment and YMCA passes, they are encouraged for physical activity, they go through a nutrition education program, and of course, healthy behavior is modeled by the staff (Keeley, p7). Meals feature fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, a minimum of sugar, and all of it is prepared without any frying, chemical processing, dyes, preservatives or canned goods (Health). A sample school lunch consists of bottled water and 100% juice, a variety of whole grain bagels and breads, a fresh salad bar with an assortment of fruits and vegetables and a hot entrée of naturally flavored lean pork, chicken, turkey or fish, prepared daily by on-site cooks (Silver). All of this was in high hopes that behavior would improve with a healthy diet. See "Evidence of effectiveness" for more information.
With decreased funding, schools have found alternate ways to increase or at least maintain their education standards by bringing doing their own funding. Schools spend millions of dollars investing in vending machines while making much more of it back by the high sales of soft drinks and partnerships with junkfood corporations. (Simontacchi, 146-148). In the end, what the schools don't realize is that they are actually lowering students' education potential since the food that is served has a harmful effect on the concentration, alertness, and focus of the students. High glycemic carbohydrates (refined suguars) found even in many of the "low fat" foods cause a temporary spike in blood sugar that soon leads to a hard crash. This leaves the students hungry and lethargic in class. They may not actually feel hungry, but their bodies are craving fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
[edit] Evidence of effectiveness
Appleton Charter Alternative High School in Wisconsin implemented a Nutrition and Wellness Program (described under "Application in classrooms and similar settings" above). The staff saw immediate changes in the students, including disruptive behavior and health complaints diminished substantially, students are more stable and concentrate in classes, and there was a considerable decrease in impulsive behaviors such as talking out, fidgeting and foul language (Keeley, p9).
Since 1970, twenty-three good studies have looked at whether food dyes or ordinary foods worsened behavior in children with ADHD or other behavioral problems. The results: children calmed down and misbehaved less in school and at home. Eugene Arnold, professor emeritus of psychiatry at Ohio State University stated that “some of these studies demonstrated significant improvement in the behavior of children when their diets were changed, or deterioration in their behavior when they were given food dyes or other offending foods�? (Schardt). But in other studies, the improvements were small, and in a few there were none.
[edit] Critics and their rationale
[edit] Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
[edit] Signed "life experiences", testimonies and stories
Studies have revealed that diet may have a large influence on Attention Deficit Disorder. Todays students cosume more processed food than ever before and there are proven examples of students whose ADD behaviors were modified after their diets were closely examined and altered. (No more processed food, low or no wheat...there are other modifications that I cannot recall) I think that it is interesting that diet has such a large (and underestimated) influence on our behaviors. -N.R.
I teach in a jr. high building where there are two pop machines on at lunch time. I say, take them out. Maybe have one 100% juice machine, maybe, or even cheap bottled water. During the lunch hours, students can buy pizza slices, cookies, chips and ice cream. I realize this creates a revenue, but is the health of our students and ourselves worth it? Get rid of it. Don't put temptation in everyone's way. How about putting in a nice salad bar, with fresh fruits and vegetables with dip? How about no fried foods? We are slowly killing our young and ourselves. -V.C.
I was always a little concerned with my weight. I was a pretty chubby teenager, but since then, I lost some of the baby fat. I think the best thing for me, since I really like to eat, is making sure I just get a lot of exercise. I eat in moderation, and I never try to go on diets (as I said, I like to eat). I noticed that since I am getting older and my metabolism is gettting slower, I need to exercise a lot more. I also noticed that I don't need to eat so much, like I did before when I was an undergraduate. - Brandon Correa
I agree wholeheartedly. It's good to know that there is research and pilot school lunch programs to show that healthy lunches are available, and for the same price! I know that I brought my lunch everyday. But everyday when I sat down with my friends, I always wanted to ditch my lunch (or part of it) to buy something unhealthy. It was so tempting to have it be right there. I definitely would have been better off not being tempted by the bad foods they served in my high school cafeteria. L. Weinstein
I would never allow my child to eat the school lunches in my district. The meals that the foodservice prepares are supposed to be healthy and nutrious. I decided to look at the nutritional content information one day and was completely dissappointed. I could not believe that the service thought a pretzel with cheese consitiuted for a child's lunch. I know that if I am not eating a well balanced diet that I feel so much worse than when I am getting a balanced diet. Maybe the districts should get a nutrionist on staff? M. Rice
I feel always shocked what they feed the children in the US schools. When one considers how much calories are in coke, pizza and french fries it is easy to imagine that there is so much obesity in this country. This is what the children eat and they get the wrong impression that this kind of food is good for them because it is advertised and sold everywhere. I think diet education should be an integral part in every school. To be obese is as unhealthy as doing drugs or smoking cigarettes. I do not understand why no one is promoting healthy food in public high schools. -Felix Autenrieth
As a person who teaches physical education and health the food offered at our high school is embarrassing. The school offers a lunch that is good one day and terrible the next. The biggest problem I have is with the side foods offered. Candy, ice cream, cookies, and other foods that kids do not need at school. These are extras that kids get enough of on their own. Schools can police themselves as well as government controls would help. Bret Helms
This certainly makes sense; as adults, we are expected to be able to make wise food choices, or at least keep bad food choices from affecting our behavior. Yet how often is a grown man or woman cranky until s/he receives his/her morning coffee or from working too long before eating. How much more kids, whose bodies are still developing, and who lack much of the self-control at an early age to behave appropriately. It is an intriguing effect. While I think it's a great idea, I wonder if anyone has compained about infringing upon parent/student rights? It also makes me think about the types of health education that are really the most beneficial; it is one thing to KNOW about how to exercise, how to eat, etc., but entirely different for kids actually to do it. --Emily Cox
I think alot of the problem is from the student's wants as far as food. At high schools, even if there is a healthy alternative (there really always is, you could bring lunch from home), the students choose the pizza and fries over grilled chicken. This is definitely prevalent at the college level. There are so many freshmen that go for the buffet of burgers, fries, nachos, and ice cream. The healthy options of salads and vegetarian items are there but the better tasting choices overlook those items. It is a matter of properly informing them what they are about to eat. Place the alarming nutrition facts of each item in front of them. That way, students can make educated decisions about their own health. - John N. Janowiak
I never really thought much about school food (I was a sack lunch kid), but when I got to college I was appalled as to what they were feeding us. Most everything was fried, even the vegetarian alternatives were unhealthy. Though, being a typical college student, I could care less about the health content. Needless to say, with no exercise per se, I gained a fair amount of weight. Since then, I have stopped eating meat and started watching what I eat and I'm in better shape than I've been in a very long time. I have more energy and I even feel like I'm "learning" more in my classes. I'm sure not all of this is due to my eating habits, but they certainly contribute alot to the changes. -Matt Munley
I really think that even though schools have to meet certain requirements when filling out a lunch for the day that many things that students eat are not healthy. In our school, students can purchase chips, fruit snacks, and fruit roll-ups in addition to their meal. I have seen students eat the meal and about three or four bags of chips. I know that the government is beginning to step in and look at the food that is provided to schools but until it begins to make changes, it will always be a problem. -Nick Hartz
I agree with the idea of limiting snack food and soda for our students. As educators, we have to extend our job to be not just teachers of subjects, but teachers and role models of behaviour and lifestyle for our students. Modelling and teaching good eating habits is one way we can do so. Schools should support this lifestyle education by not offering junk food to the students every day. I think having 'ice cream Fridays' or some days where junk food is sold in moderation to the students can help the students develop healthy eating habits. -Grace Vigneron
The overweight problems amongs teens is only going to continue to soar unless we crack down on the junk food they are eating. As a high school teacher, I personally witness first hand the amounts of money that students spend of vending maching breakfasts and soda during the day. The school I teach at has vending machines for candy, ice cream, chips, and of course, pop machines galore. The most disturbing thing is that these machines are on ALL DAY!!! Amazing!!! Students can ask to go to the bathroom and instead will run to the vending maching. I can only imagine how much money is being made off of the students each day. Unless school boards start caring more about the students physical future then lining their pocket books, this epidemic will consider to get even worse. -J. Daeschler (June 2006)
For the sugar example, this makes sense. Often times during football games in late August and the beginning of Sept. the games that we play in are extremly hot. So players need to drink water and gaterade to keep their energy going. Sometimes this is not enough. A player gets fatigued and needs something more for energy. This comes in the form a child's candy, skittles. Out trainer will carry these in his back poct and will give you a pack if you are starting to get tired. So even at the college level of football Skittles helps with energy to get a sugar high!
I have found that children in my classroom are extremely affected by nutrition. My class had lunch very late in the day and would come to school on nothing but sugar. I would serve a snack mid-day and if we ever missed it students would almost be sick and lethargic. I, also, had students with stomach problems at the age of 8 due to the food they were eating. It amazed me, as well, that some of my young children were unable to walk a mile. We went on walks around our school and some, due to lack of excersize and weight issues, were unable to complete the walk without struggle. --KK
I am amazed at the type of food that my district's foodservice provides. The foodservice claims to provide students with a well-balanced meal that has loads of nutrition. I decided to look at the nutrional content and was completely amazed with how horrible that meal was. If I had children, I would never let them it school lunch. The foodservices idea of balanced lunch was a pretzel with cheese. To me that is not nutritiuos and I can't imagine how the students would make it through the rest of the day. On the other hand my elementary principals encourage students to bring healthy birthday treats instead of Krispy Kreme Donuts. While some students do bring in healthy alternatives most parents still bring in the junk. M. Rice
After pop (soda) vending machines were removed from Illinois schools, I was shocked that the backlash has been comparable to alcohol prohibition. Students bring pop and other drinks from home, while others will purchase these drinks from fellow classmates. Teachers have also found that this can be used as a reward for good behavior; students often will work towards a 'class party' that orders out for lunch, but the inclusion of banned softdrinks makes it even more desirable. I'm not sure if this is a new problem that will soon fade, as it is the first year of the ban, or if it will continue to be a problem. -Jakob
My biggest concern with my students is the caffeine drinks students are addicted to. Mountain Dew used to be the most caffeinated beverage students used to drink. Now my students come to class with Starbucks in the morning. They are also drinking Rockstar, Monster, Redbull and other energy drinks that I have never heard of. These drinks are keeping the kids up all night. And we wonder why they are sleeping through their classes! If students are this addicted to energy drinks it scares me to think about what they will get into in college. -R. Fruin
In several of the testimonies listed above mine, there is made mention of the fact that too many students are eating junk and what effect that has on them. My concern is more for those students who are not eating. When my son was quite young, we realized that his mood seemed to be more surly right before lunch. We also noted that immediately after eating his demeanor changed drastically. In the years since then, this trend has continued. When he misses a meal or eats later than usual, his attitude worsens. This is something that - although not a diagnosed medical condition - I have tried to include on every school form (registration for school, registration for camps, etc) in an effort to make the teachers aware that some of his anger issues are related to how long it has been since he last ate. Thankfully, most everyone has been supportive, but I dread the day when someone just blames it on him being a boy or being a teenager, etc. I am also concerned for the other students of mine that are in similar situations. For this reason, I allow my students to bring small bags of pretzels or crackers, etc to class as long as they are not disrupting my class by doing so. (One thing to note...I do not allow them to munch on candy or cookies in this way.) It also has the added benefit of keeping some of them from talking during classtime. M Foshee
[edit] References and other links of interest
Sugar and hyperactivity: http://www.sugar.org/consumers/sugar_myths.asp?id=42 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002426.htm http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/gcrc/highlights/webhilit/sugar.htm http://www.web4health.info/en/answers/adhd-cause-sugar.htm
Health Sciences Institute (2005). Obesity, the Dangers of a Fast Food Diet. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/article/3406/obesity.html
Jacobson, Michael, et al (1999). Diet, ADHD, and Behavior. Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington D.C.
Keeley, Jennifer (2004). Case Study: Appleton Central Alternative Charter High School’s Nutrition and Wellness Program. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from www.michaelfieldsaginst.org/Food%20Systems/ACACaseStudyFinalVersion.doc
Schardt, David (2000). Diet & Behavior in Children. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from http://www.cspinet.org/nah/3_00/diet_behavior.html
Silver Chips Print (2005). The Inside Scoop on School Meals. Retrieved December 5, 2005 from http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/inside.php?sid=4884
Simontacchi, Carol (2000). Crazy Makers. Tarcher Putnam: New York.
As of October 2006, Illinois has tightened what school are allowed to serve to students in grades 8 and below. Some interesting highlights include: No more soda or pop, calorie restrictions (not to exceed 200) and sugar restrictions (no more than 35%). This is a very interesting idea but is it being enforced?
Here is the link: http://www.isbe.net/nutrition/htmls/rules.htm
Halterman MD, Jill et al. (2001) Pediatrics
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http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/topics/nutrition-diet-stress.php
