Does Breakfast Make a Difference in School?
Section snippets
Theoretical Reasoning
Two biological mechanisms that can operate simultaneously underlie the postulated effects of breakfast on cognitive function. One involves short-term metabolic and neurohormonal changes associated with the immediate supply of energy and nutrients to the brain. The other involves the sustained contributions of breakfast to a person's health status over time. This second mechanism is particularly relevant for children whose daily dietary intake barely meets requirements.
Programmatic And Design Issues
The following literature review does not make explicit the particular differences in the generalizability (external validity) of the findings from the studies under consideration. Differences in study design do, however, have different implications for policies and programs of food assistance in the schools. The two major designs of concern here are experimental and field evaluations. Each design has its own theory and distinct advantages and disadvantages (eg, see reference (4)).
Most of the
Literature Review
The studies in this review are classified in two major categories: experimental and Held. Experimental studies that tested the efficacy of the breakfast provided in a particular school breakfast program (SBP) arc classified separately from the remaining studies in the first category.
In populations where children are nutritionally at risk,availability of breakfast maymake it possible for a child to be well nourished over the long term and may prevent or reverse nutrient deficiencies that affect
Conclusions
Most design and method limitations observed in the studies published before 1978 have been resolved in the research conducted since that year. In particular, study design has improved with the use of experimental, crossover strategies and strict control of confounders. Well-defined hypotheses regarding the nature of the effects and the mechanisms behind them have been indicated, and cognitive and educational outcomes have been measured by means of reliable tests. Nevertheless, some limitations
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Child health across the rural–urban spectrum
2020, World DevelopmentCitation Excerpt :The main outcome of interest in this paper is the prevalence of child stunting, which is widely used as an indicator of adverse nutritional and health outcomes among this population group. Stunting can lead to an array of cognitive and physical problems, more severe illnesses and in some cases premature death (Berkman, Lescano, Gilman, Lopez, & Black, 2002; Grantham-McGregor et al., 2000; Peeling & Smart, 1994; Pollitt, 1995). This in turn leads to educational difficulties (Caulfield, Richard, Rivera, Musgrove, & Black, 2006; Glewwe et al., 2001; Lozoff et al., 2000; Luo et al., 2012), lower future incomes (Bobonis, Miguel, & Puri-Sharma, 2006; Halterman et al., 2001), increased health costs (Shorr et al., 2008) and decreased life expectancies, thus affecting a region’s economic climate.
Costs, and cost-outcome of school feeding programmes and feeding programmes for young children. Evidence and recommendations
2016, International Journal of Educational DevelopmentCitation Excerpt :Another 66 million children went to school hungry; hunger can impair attention and motivation; undernutrition at this age can impair cognitive abilities (Bryan et al., 2004), and school performance (Programme, 2012; Bryan et al., 2004; Meeks Gardner et al., 1995b). Moreover, short-term hunger can adversely affect attention and interest (Read et al., 1973); missing breakfast is particularly problematic for those children who are most undernourished (Pollitt, 1995; Bundy et al., 2013). Interventions during early childhood and the school years to reduce undernutrition can maximize developmental, educational potential and educational attainment.
Short-term effects of lunch on children's executive cognitive functioning: The randomized crossover Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund PLUS (CogniDo PLUS)
2015, Physiology and BehaviorCitation Excerpt :For example, children's brains are more dependent on the intake of glucose in comparison to adult brains [8]. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that the developing EF might be more sensitive to environmental influences (including nutrient intake) than the EF in a fully developed adult brain [8,9]. This study refers to three often postulated executive functions, which are responsible for the following abilities: to inhibit prepotent responses (“inhibition”), to monitor and update information (“working memory updating”), and mental task switching [4,3].
The effect of postprandial glycaemia on cognitive function: a randomised crossover trial
2020, British Journal of NutritionThe effect of diet on the physical and mental development of children: Views of parents and teachers in four European countries
2019, British Journal of Nutrition