Obesity action plan could have classroom spinoff
WEDNESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2006
The Government's $67 million obesity action plan may have a spin-off in the classroom.
A report has linked poor academic performance to inadequate nutrition, and experts have agreed that nutrition affects school behaviour and performance.
The report, released by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), cites studies which show that children's diets affect school attendance and behaviour.
Although there has been little research in relation to the effects of obesity on academic outcomes, the report says body mass index is related to academic performance and overweight children do not do as well at school as children of normal weight.
The report, `A Rapid Review of the Literature on the Association Between Nutrition and School Pupil Performance' says children's brain development is affected by what they eat and cites studies which show poor nutrition in early life is related to a low IQ and can also cause emotional problems.
While experts agree that nutrition is linked to academic performance, some believe the government campaign may not go far enough in addressing the problem of obesity.
The government's campaign announced last week is focused on increasing physical activity.
Much of the campaign is directed at schools and will focus on issues including improving nutrition at school and encouraging children to make healthy choices.
OAC executive director Celia Murphy said the group was pleased the government was targeting schools.
She said teachers were almost unanimous in the belief that as nutrition improved so did behaviour.
"Teachers say kids that eat well are easier to teach."
Ms Murphy said learning about nutrition was an important life skill for children.
She said the removal of cooking classes had also contributed to the obesity problem.
Tackling obesity would also require other changes.
"There are certainly some issues with people not being able to afford good healthy food. . . but as well as that there is an influence from advertising junk food."
Restrictions on the advertising of high sugar and fat foods were needed, she said.
Massey University human nutrition senior lecturer Dr Clare Wall said that if you are not physically and mentally fit it will affect learning, but she did not believe this was much of a problem in New Zealand.
A multi-faceted approach to encouraging healthy lifestyles was required.
"Education (about nutrition) has got to start at school. . . but it's also got to be tackled at home."
Socioeconomic factors could prevent healthy lifestyles. There were already initiatives in Britain and the United States, where food vouchers for fruit and vegetables were provided to those who could not afford them, she said.
Obesity Plan Spinoff
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