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Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools


Academic Performance and Nutrition
Signature Assignment
April 27, 2016
Arizona State University
Allie Soerensen
Course # 18964
Dr. Miller

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

Introduction
Adolescence is a period of rapid development, which requires increase ingestion of
essential nutrients from foods to catch up with the developmental needs (Ogunsile 2012). This
statement is very powerful in the aspect that it makes a clear statement of how important it really
is for children to be eating the right foods for their growing bodies. It is important that people of
all ages are eating a balanced diet to keep their body strong, mind sharp, and heart healthy. With
children growing so quickly it is important that they learn how to take care of their body the right
way and to truly understand what nutrition is and how to eat nutritious healthy meals. Not only
do students need to understand the importance of a healthy diet but know how it affects them in
their daily lives with school, extracurricular activities, and their mood/ behavior. One program
that schools have adopted is the Serving Up MyPlate program. This program is a great way to
introduce healthy eating, nutrition, and portions to children where they understand what the
information means. There are many different programs and way to teach children about how
important is it to be healthy.
Literature Review
Nutrition in schools is a huge part of the things that go into what affects a students health
and living choices. Students spend so much time at school each week that often times parents
and sometimes teachers do not understand how big of an impact school and what is taught/ not
taught at school can have. According to the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance,
approximately 9 million students eat breakfast at school as part of the School Breakfast
Program and approximately 29 million students participate in the School Lunch Program
(Jefferies, Mathias 24). Those are crazy numbers and to think about the amount of food that
children eat daily comes from school, not their own homes. That right there says how much of

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

an impact school has on students and that schools must have healthy options in order to have a
healthy kid population. This journal continues to discuss the foods that are offered in schools
outside of these programs, how important physical educators can be, and changing school
policies so that schools are more responsible for their students and their actions regarding food
choices.
With the amount of resources most schools have there are a variety of ways to get our youth
involved in physical activity in and out of school. An article about promoting youth nutrition
and physical activity says that there are programs by the state to encourage communities to begin
attempting to reduce obesity and diseases that are due to being overweight. The article also talks
about the programs We Can! and Move it! And reduce your risk of diabetes. Not only does it talk
about what the programs are but case studies that were done to show the positive effects they
have had at schools. Both promote physical activity for children of all ages and ways to enhance
our childs activity.
The rate of obesity among school- age children has become a national concern, with the
number of overweight children aged 6 to 11 more than tripling over the past three decades (U.S.
Government Accountability Office 1). That is an absurd statistic and is only going to continue to
increase if nothing is done about it. It is a scary thought to think about the future of America
cutting their life expectancy down because of their unhealthy bodies and ways of living. In the
article Calories In, Calories Out: Food and Exercise in Public Elementary Schools there is
information given from research on the amount of time and days physical activity takes place
each week and the type of physical education. Not only does the article talk about the physical
activity but also the types of foods given to students at schools and the foods in vending
machines that are available to students at school as well. Throughout this article, you read about

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

the percentages of schools that offer meals, the percent of schools that also offer snack bars, and
what kinds of foods are offered. It is interesting to see the range of foods offered and the
location of the school. Recess and physical activity is another aspect of this article. The article
discusses the amount of time that is allotted each day for students to be active. Research has
shown that smaller schools were more likely to schedule time for recess for students than larger
schools. Childhood obesity and lack of physical movement is becoming a bigger problem in our
schools. This is not going to benefit or help the students therefore something must be done.
In an article titled Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep: Physiological Considerations in the
Classroom for Alternative Certification Teachers, there is a lot of great information given. It
talks about the increase of technology use and how that affects childrens health and sleep. There
is also information given about the foods children are consuming that are not healthy and are not
helping them develop, as they should. The article talks about easy, simple steps that can be taken
to improve your childs health. With such busy lives, it is hard to make changes to the norm and
improve your health and your childs health. Actions teachers can take to help their students is to
advocate for their students health to the school, district, parents, etc. Another thing teachers can
do is incorporate physical movement in their classroom through doing activities that require
students to get up and move during math for example. Talking with parents and being on the
same page regarding health will keep consistency for the students can help children have better
health in and out of school.
Adolescence is one of the biggest ages where not only cognitive but also physical
development takes place. It is so important for parents to know this information and be educated
on it because it is necessary to take the right actions with food, sleep, and activity/ play. In the
article on Dietary Pattern and Academic Performance, there was research done to see the

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

relationship between diet and academic performance. Not feeding children the correct foods for
healthy nourishment at a young age will affect them throughout their childhood but also later on
in life. Research shows that breakfast positively affects students cognitively and academically.
Students are more likely to come to school and have higher academic performance than students
who do not eat breakfast daily. Eating a balanced breakfast with the nutrients needs to kick start a
students day is important to give daily. Yes, breakfast is a key factor in academic performance
but so is the type of breakfast given. Sugary breakfasts will not give the child to nourishment
and energy they need to make it through the morning.
Lastly, the curriculum for Serving Up MyPlate is a great way for schools across the board
to get involved and help their students. It is a curriculum that can be used school, district, state,
and countrywide to get students, teachers, parents, and community involved in the movement of
healthy eating. There is curriculum provided for students in all grade levels and handouts for
parents and what they can do at home to help their children. This is a great program with many
resources on how to change your life and your childs to be healthier.
Synthesis of Information
Healthy eating, living a healthy lifestyle, and academic performance are three of the
biggest factors in a childs growth and development. With all of the fast food available at a
convenient price and quick is hurting all of America and the future. Something must be done to
stop and better the country and health of all the people.
After thinking about ways to implement the program to try to improve physical activity
and academic performance, I have come up with three important ways to implement and get the
word out there for the program. The program is a mix between incorporating physical activity in
and out of school as well as educating people about healthy living and affects on their academic

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

performance. With all the fast food available to parents, children, teens, anyone there is a stress
of eating healthy foods. Students must be learning and educated on how what they eat affects
their performance throughout the day. If you are eating sugary, high fat foods, then you are more
likely to be tired and less energized than a child who has whole grains and fruit. The three things
that will take place to implement the program include: a meeting for parents/ community in the
evening, assembly during school for students, and contest to keep students actively involved.
Practical Implications
The first step is to reach out to parents and talk with them face- to- face. With this
program being expected to be very effective and involve the whole school, parents must be
present in person for a lot of help. By holding a meeting in the evening one night, parents have
time to make it after work and hopefully be willing to participate. Parents are looking for their
childs best interest and with a reasonable time there should be a good turn out and help. At the
meeting, parents will be given information about how to help their children be healthier and
more active as well as ways to get them involved in the program. This is a great way to kick
start the program by asking parents to be involved at home and to continue to educate their
children about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating.
The second step is to hold an assembly at the school for all the students. At the assembly,
students will be educated on the program and what it entails. They will be told that it is going to
be tried out for a short amount of time to see how it works and also that their parents are
involved and there to help. Students will be encouraged to ask their parents at home to help
them learn and begin living a healthier lifestyle if they dont already. The assembly will also
include the beginning of educating students on what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

also the importance of physical activity. By having an assembly, the school is bringing all
students, teachers, and staff together to learn about how they can help themselves and each other.
The third and final step is to announce the contest that will take place during the time of
the trial program. There will be a contest to see which grade can get the highest number of
minutes of physical activity. Students will be asked to keep a weekly log of how much time they
spend doing physical activities. They must be told that this can range from playing at the park to
sports to running around the field to walking to school. An explanation of what physical activity
means is crucial for students to understand so that they can calculate the minutes. The winning
grade will receive a reward of some type.
By following these three steps, the program could be very successful and beneficial.
Stressing the importance of daily physical activity and a healthy lifestyle and how it is linked to
performance at school is important to begin at a young age and continue throughout their growth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, physical activity and academic performance are linked greatly and must be
an important part of young kids lives. In order to have children live a healthy lifestyle and
continue to, then they must be educated on how to. By having a health program at school where
not only teachers and staff are involved but parents as well, there is a better chance that students
will be healthier. With many influences in their lives setting great examples of what it truly
means to be healthy and live healthy, the outcome will be better. Not only is daily physical
activity important but also linking it with the effects it has on academic performance along side
eating healthy. In living a healthy lifestyle comes eating healthy, which positively affects ones
academic performance. That is a huge key point to incorporate to teaching students about
because with all of the fast food readily available they must know that is not best for them. By

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

starting at a young age, results later on in life will be more positive because they learned from
such a young age. Like Winston Churchill once said, Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any
country can have. I believe in this 100% because our students are the future of our country
therefore their healthy and well- being are important!

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

Works Cited
Evans, B. R. (2012). Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep: Physiological Considerations in the
Classroom for Alternative Certification Teachers [Abstract]. JNAAC, 7(1), 35-46. Retrieved
February 13, 2016.
Kelly R. Moore , Melissa K. McGowan , Karen A. Donato , Sobha Kollipara & Yvette
Roubideaux (2009) Community Resources for Promoting Youth Nutrition and Physical Activity,
American Journal of Health Education, 40:5, 298-303, DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2009.10599106
Stephen Jefferies & Kirk Mathias (2007) The Physical Educators Role in Enacting the
Mandated School Wellness Policy, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 78:6, 2428, DOI: 10.1080/07303084.2007.10598037
Ogunsile, S. E. (2012). The Effect of Dietary Pattern and Body Mass Index on the
Academic Performance of In-school Adolescents. Canadian Center of Science and Education,
5(6), 65-72. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
Parsad, B., and Lewis, L. (2006). Calories In, Calories Out: Food and Exercise in Public
Elementary Schools, 2005 (NCES 2006057). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC:
National Center for Education Statistics.
Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum. (2012, October 3). Retrieved February 14,
2016, from http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/serving-myplate-yummy-curriculum

Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition


Graphics:

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Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition

Link to Weebly:
http://asoerensen.weebly.com

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Running Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition


Signature Assignment Rubric

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Criteria
(5) Exemplary
(4) Highly
(3) Proficient
with
(97 100%)
Proficient
(83 92%)
Profession
(93 96%)
Running
al Head: Academic Performance and Nutrition
Standards
Reference
d
Outline
10 Points
Outline
Logical,
Brief outline
Brief outline
Turned
detailed
with at least 5 with some
In(Alread outline with at original peer
references but
y
least 5
reviewed
not 5 original
submitted original peer
references
peer reviewed
for points) reviewed
written in
references
references
APA format is written in
written in
submitted.
APA format
APA format is
are submitted.
submitted
with a
technology
choice
selected to
embed the
assignment.
5 x 2=10
points
Introduction
10 Points
Introducti Introduction
Introduction
on to the
is fully
is fully
topic and developed,
developed
overview
well
with all topics
(In your
organized,
introduced.
purpose
introduces all
statement topics, created
also
a plan for the
introduce paper and
all
invites the
subtopics) reader to read
InTASC
further.
1c,k; 5k;
9f; 10h
5 x 2=10
NAEYC
points
6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC
EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;C
C9K4;CC
9S8
Literature Review
Adequacy 1. Literature
of
review
Knowledg highlights

15 Points
1. Literature
review
addresses

(2)
Approaching
Proficient
(73 82%)

(1)
Unsatisfactory
(72%
13
and below)

Brief outline
No outline
with one or no was
references
submitted.
submitted.

Introduction
is addressed
well,
somewhat
organized and
created a plan
for the paper.

Introduction is Introduction is
addressed
omitted or
adequately.
was
disorganized
and did not
create a plan
for the paper.

1. Literature
review may
address major

1. Literature
review does
not address

1. Literature
review does
not have the

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