Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INTRODUCTION
Every human being has the right to health. This is a basic right which is
guaranteed under the Philippine Constitution of 1987 Article 11, Section 15 stated
that “The state shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill
In this connection, all the public schools here in the Philippines have been
program for the children. Aside from this advocacy, there is also a habitual growth
monitoring and feeding program. Furthermore, there are also nutritional education
schemes for the concerned pupils, parents, teachers and school heads in how to
eliminate the habitual absenteeism, dropping out of schools and failures of grades of
many elementary students. Likewise, many other factors are being given focus by
the health organizations together with the Department of Education and they include
the academic performance of the pupils that is under the satisfactory level. Besides,
most of the students, especially in the lower sections; do not have the ability to give
Education (DepEd) through the Health and Nutrition Center (HNC) relaunched the
Breakfast Feeding Program (BFP) to address the malnutrition problem and short-
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term hunger among public school children. This program was renamed School-Based
Feeding Program (SBFP) in order not to limit the feeding to breakfast only. This is to
allow the school administrators to decide what time to conduct the feeding that will
Health and education are directly related with each other. Poor health and
dropping out of school. Hunger also play a vital role tostudent’s life. Some students
choose to work to have food in the table than go to the school. This attitude often
undernourished children are not in a position to learn and absorb the lesson given by
the teacher. They lacked in focus, attention and motivation to study because of poor
thinking are also affected since a lot of nutrients needed by the body and brain are
not sufficient like iron, folate, protein, calcium and other vitamins.
Through this program, poorest children benefits more and help those who are most
(Del Rosso, 2009). The Health and Nutrition Center of DepEd is mandated to
safeguard the health and nutritional well- being of the total school population, giving
priority to the elementary grade school children. Muhi (2009) and Palacol (2007)
students. The problems facing Filipino children are directly related to these four
School health and nutrition programs are among the most effective
interventions that exist to improve both children’s education and health. Citing the
development. Better nutrition means stronger immune systems, less illness and
better health. Healthy children learn better. Healthy people are stronger, are more
productive and more able to create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of
both poverty and hunger in a sustainable way. Better nutrition is a prime entry point
These situations prompted the researcher to conduct this study to find out the
This chapter presented the different literature and studies to gave more insights to the
Likewise, the theoretical and conceptual framework and research paradigm are
Relationships between nutrition and brain function have been the focus of
much research. Studies have shown the impact of dietary foundations on normal
brain functions. Chemical messengers within the brain called neurotransmitters have
been studied in conjunction with nutrition. It has long been suspected that the
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relative abundance of specific nutrients can affect cognitive processes and emotions.
plasticity have revealed some of the vital mechanisms that are responsible for the
action of diet on brain health and mental function. Several gut hormones that can
enter the brain, or that are produced in the brain itself, influence cognitive ability. In
signals such as food intake. Understanding the molecular basis of the effects of food
increase the resistance of neurons to insults and promote mental fitness (Nat Rev
Neurosci, 2008).
improved nutrition and optimal brain function. Nutrients provide building blocks that
hormone metabolism, and are important constituents of enzyme systems in the brain
Zimmermann, 2011).
function and found that the malnourished children differed from the adequately
verbal learning, and memory. Results for the verbal fluency test show adequately-
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nourished children achieved higher mean scores in both age categories, five- to
seven- year olds and eight- to ten- year olds (4.3 and 5.7 respectively), when
the other results had similar findings such as visual construction adequately
nourished in both age categories (10.0 and 15.8) score higher than malnourished
students (3.0 and 4.8) in the same age categories and also for verbal learning (32.4
and 42.3 vs. 26.9 and 30.7). These results show age
related differences within each group as well as between the two age groups. Kar et
results than the adequately nourished students but they did show age related
improvement for these same functions. Differences were tested for statistical
olds and 8- to 10- year olds were found significant but most of the test scores for
functions.
Annik Sorhaindo and Leon Feinstein (2006), shared an article entitled “What
is the relationship between child nutrition and school outcomes?” He stated that
there was a complex interrelationship between nutrition, social and economic factors
and health and education. Food preferences are affected by social and family factors
such as the behavior of parents and peers, advertising and marketing and practices
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related to food production and consumption. And, while the constraints of low
factors, such as culture and lack of literacy and education reinforce the effects of
deprivation.
Erickson (2006) pointed out five key components required to keep the brain
functioning correctly. The substances, all found in food, are important to brain
development and function. Proteins are found in foods such as meat, fish, milk, and
cheese. They are used to make most of the body’s tissues, including
from brain cells to other brain cells. A lack of protein, also known as Protein Energy
Malnutrition, led to poor school performance by children and caused young children
to be lethargic, withdrawn, and passive, all of which help affect social and emotional
development.
fruits, and vegetables. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose (sugar) which is
where the brain gets its energy. Fluctuating levels of carbohydrates may cause
dizziness and mental confusion, both of which can affect cognitive performance.
Eating a carbohydrate-heavy meal can cause one to feel more calm and relaxed
because of a brain chemical called serotonin and its effect on mood. Serotonin is
created within the brain through the absorption and conversion of tryptophan.
Tryptophan is absorbed within the blood and this absorption is enhanced with
carbohydrates.
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Meyer, (2005) said that good nutrition is important in supporting growth and
increasingly educated on the role nutrition plays on the body’s and mind’s ability to
grow and the performance of our potential learning capacity. Nutritional intake
affects energy levels, physical stamina, mood, memory, mental clarity, and emotional
and mental well-being. Research is proving good nutrition is pertinent for the brain,
so the old adage, “You are what you eat” is proving to be true. Parents and educators
need to educate today’s youth to make healthier food choices because they are being
raised in a culture of fast food. Because today’s children are being raised during a
time when many meals are not being prepared at home, America is seeing the
be more satisfied with the school foodservice and nutrition program; therefore they
are more likely to participate in the school food program Meyer, (2005). As student
progress their tastes change and to keep up with those changes the school food
These less healthy choices are more options for food opportunities that compete with
the main lunch line that provides healthier options. Providing quality food that is
appealing to students will help promote healthy eating among students as will
adequacy is of the utmost importance for students with their nutrient requirements to
sustain normal growth and development. Even mild nutrient deficiencies can end
with negative long-term effects on growth and function Sampson et al., (1995)
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Dietary Allowance
are particularly important for five- to eleven-year-olds, who need roughly from 1,400
to 2,000 calories a day. If they are very active, their calorie intake can be in the upper
range and if they are fairly inactive, they should have a little less. Vegetables 2 cups,
fruits 1 ½ cups, grains 5 to 6 cups, meats and beans 5 ounces, dairy 3cups, oils 4
teaspoons, and fats and sweets limit as much as possible. (American Heart
For food portions for 8-11 years old, another article (2012) said that, Children
need to eat a variety of nutritious foods, in the right proportions. This article is about
the age, correspondents profile and dietary allowance. They should choose foods
from each of the five food groups every day. The amount of food children need
depends on their body size and how active they are. Daily recommended serves: kids
aged 8-11 years should aim for 1-2 serves of fruit; 3-5 serves of vegies; 2-3 serves of
dairy; 4-9 serves of bread, cereals and grains; 1-1½ serves of meat; and no more than
1-2 serves of ‘sometimes’ foods. Drink plenty of water. The cheapest, healthiest and
most thirst-quenching drink is plain water. Kids need to drink more fluid on hot or
humid days, and if they sweat or are physically active. Avoid soft drinks, fruit juices,
An article entitled “Nutrition for Children and Teens: Helping Your Kids Eat
Healthier” written by Maya W. Paul and Lawrence Robinson (2012). This article
about the meal habits, dietary allowance, and classroom performance. They
enunciated that healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds,
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and even out their moods. While peer pressure and TV commercials for junk food
can make getting kids to eat well seem impossible, there are steps parents can take to
instil healthy eating habits without turning mealtimes into a battle zone. By
encouraging healthy eating habits now, you can make a huge impact on your
children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the best opportunity to grow
into healthy, confident adults. Children develop a natural preference for the foods
they enjoy the most, so the challenge is to make healthy choices appealing. Of
course, no matter how good your intentions, it’s always going to be difficult to
you can ensure that your children’s diet is as nutritious and wholesome as possible,
even while allowing for some of their favourite treats. The childhood impulse to
imitate is strong, so it’s important you act as a role model for your kids. It’s no good
asking your child to eat fruit and vegetables while you gorge on potato chips and
soda.
The primary goals of school health education are to help individuals adopt
behaviours and to create conditions that are conducive to health. Thus, the clear and
nutrition is essential for the development of effective school health education efforts.
Close collaboration between education, health and food officials; the school health
team; the community advisory committee; and other school and community
attitudes, beliefs and skills which are needed to make informed decisions, practice
as knowledge about the relationship of eating and health and about planning
Beliefs provide a conviction for decisions, such as a belief that healthy eating
Elementary Schools
information that will assist in the development and implementation of the child’s
educational program. Parents reinforce and extend the educational efforts of teachers
and are a very important part of the school team. They need to feel that their child is
part of the group and has been accepted on an equal footing with the others; that the
teacher is cooperating with them; and that they have a role to play in their child’s
resources related to students’ needs and strengths. In addition, teachers benefit from
who focus on children with special learning needs, and should be encouraged to
contact them as needed, and use the resources they provide. These organizations may
need to provide local, regional, and provincial opportunities for specific development
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and help identify local mentoring supports. The rationale for school-based
health and nutrition programs and the approach to their implementation have
undergone a paradigm shift over the past two decades. The traditional perception of
increasingly recognized that a major—perhaps the major— impact of ill health and
school dropout, and thus boost the possibility of Education for All. Patanao (2010)
stated in her study that healthier children stay in school longer, attend more regularly,
learn more and become healthier and more productive adults. In consequence, the
sustainable. Thus, students should have access to food of high nutritional value and
to the support of persons around them to develop and maintain a healthy diet. A
realistic and attractive range of health choices to encourage a healthy lifestyle. It also
helps students and others develop their physical, psychological and social potential
1. Physical environment
eating facilities, water and foods provided at school and the surroundings in
which the school is situated .Hernandez (2011) states in her studies that the
state of well-being of the school child is also influenced by the quality of his
parasitism. On the other hand, waste disposal etc. predisposes the school
should also include food vendors that may be present on or near the
promotion efforts.
(2007),” ‘schools are ideal places to reach children and youth’. Because children’s
health and learning are linked, children cannot learn when they are not well or when
health concerns interrupt their ability to concentrate. For this reason, schools are
for increasing to at least 75 percent the proportion of the nation’s elementary and
secondary schools that provide planned and sequential kindergarten to 12th grade
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comprehensive school health education. These studies suggest that if students are not
in good health, they will not be able to learn and achieved to their highest potential.
There is a wide range of school performance problems that have been linked
unhealthy and high-risked behaviors. Dropping out, truancy, and delinquency are
average, test scores and education level, as well as memory, attention and motivation
Promoting School, health services work in partnership with and are provided for
coordinated with other services and activities at school and in the community to
utilise the potential of specialist resources to provide advice and support for health
what preventive and treatment services are best provided at school sites and avoid
duplicating services available in the community that would easily be accessible for
Screening/Diagnosis
measurements of body weight and height, which are compared to a subject's age and
sex.
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What is Malnutrition?
or inadequate diet, such as a diet that either provides too much or too little of
Malnutrition can be related to various factors, such as infections which lead to poor
appetite and malabsorption, poverty, and lack of access to food, sanitation and/or
health services. Malnutrition negatively affects the quality of life and learning as
well as death and disease status. Malnutrition includes over nutrition and nutritional
adaptive behaviour, education, productivity and well-being, and can induce death.
energy and more than 50 different nutrients are met. Requirements and eating
behavior (what, where, when and how often specific foods are eaten) are determined
economic factors. Because of this, there is no single measurement that will give
intakes and clinical signs of malnutrition is usually used. The interpretation of these
variables and conclusions reached will depend on the norms or standards used for
comparison.
Arkansas was the first to launch what became a massive experiment in school
nutrition in 2003, requiring schools state wide to shape up nutrition and physical
activity policies. Among the changes: no more soda and junk food in elementary
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school vending machines. Parents, however, were slow to improve meals in their
own homes despite evidence that poor nutrition can impair children's ability to learn.
glucose, the main source of energy from food. Completely dependent upon glucose
for energy, the brain is a powerhouse requiring consistent food intake to function
properly. This makes the brain sensitive to variations in glucose levels, so just one
skipped breakfast can reduce a child's learning ability for morning lessons.
1. Obese
Malnutrition can lead to health and physical problems even at the subclinical
level. Children who are sick or in pain are not effective learners. Dr. Jim
Raczynski, lead investigator for many of the Arkansas school, nutrition and
childhood health problems as well as adult health problems," he said. " ...
Parents should try to limit their children's access to unhealthy foods." Written
Poor body image and lack of self-esteem are often present in these
youth which limits their ability to develop social skills. As a result, they feel
academic performance.
2. Overweight
language and math. The derived conclusion from this study was that being
3. Normal
The article written by Nancy Clarke last 2011, entitled “Nutrition And
Academic Achievement”, stated that the link between good nutrition and
memory and social interaction. This article talking about the association of
can benefit, children and adolescents who are still maturing especially need
both the nutrition and the academic advancement to develop physically and
mentally.
organizations have found that a child's poor eating habits could lead to a
directly impair that child's capacity to learn. Medical experts also associate
difficulty fighting off infections, causing them to fall ill more frequently, miss
more days of class and struggle harder to catch up with the rest of the class
absent from school, less likely to concentrate and perform well and more
of its health promotion interventions. Where needed, the school can provide
nutrition. To internalize such beliefs, it was stressed that the school children
from it. Hence, to establish good food habits, people must be able to learn
and nutrition educators must be able to teach the proper food preparation.
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Feeding Programmes
to increase weight and in some cases also school attendance and achievement
value has been shown to play a role in educational achievement. For instance,
research with elementary and high school students in Chile (2009) showed
organizations have found that a child's poor eating habits could lead to a
directly impair that child's capacity to learn. Medical experts also associate
difficulty fighting off infections, causing them to fall ill more frequently, miss
more days of class and struggle harder to catch up with the rest of the class.
nerve impulses slowing for lack of sufficient iron. Research published in the
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in early years have similarly been associated with poor cognition and school
Excesses too many fats and sugars in a child's diet can negatively
academic success, such as mood, focus and energy levels. As well, an excess
of fats and sugars can cause childhood obesity, which research has also
Based on the 2007 Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) estimate, 923
million people in the world were chronically hungry, which was an increase of about
75 million people from the 2003-05 estimates (FAO 2008). Many of these are
children, and a vast majority of them are in developing countries. These numbers
suggest that the Millennium Development Goals related to hunger and malnutrition
may not be met by 2015. The persistence of hunger, malnutrition, and micronutrient
deficiencies can have long lasting effects on the health status and productivity of
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people and their nations. Early malnutrition can adversely affect physical, mental,
and social aspects of child health, which in turn leads to underweight, stunted
growth, lowered immunity, and mortality. Research has shown that the physical
Stamoulis 2003). Jomaa et al. (2011, p. 84) state that “childhood undernutrition
imposes significant economic costs on individuals and nations, and that improving
children’s diets and nutrition can have positive effects on their academic
adults.” Alderman, Hoddinott, and Kinsley (2006) found that malnutrition led to
delayed entry to school, less overall schooling, smaller stature, and 14% lower
earnings as adults.
within a population through social safety nets to address the problem of hunger and
organizations (NGO) have utilized in targeted areas where a significant part of the
population faces poverty and chronic hunger is Food for Education (FFE). FFE
provides food to school children or their family in exchange for enrollment and
attendance in school, and directly relates to the first three Millennium Development
education, and promote gender equality and empower women by 2015. As early as
the 1930s, the United States and the United Kingdom utilized FFE to improve
children’s health (Gokah 2008); these early programs took the form of school
feeding programs (SFP), where participants were fed a meal or a snack at school. As
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a social safety net, FFE programs have also gained popularity among political
leaders and policy makers in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin
America. The 2011 World Food Prize was shared by John AgyekumKufuor, former
president of Ghana, and LuizInácio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil, for the
successful social programs, including school feeding, that each nation has
established. Brazil and India have established school feeding programs by passing
legislations. Brazil added school feeding to its constitution (Bundy et al. 2009) while
in 2001 in India, the Supreme Court mandated that all state governments must
targeted families and their children, including girls, an incentive to attend school
Jomaa (2011). However, in recent years, the idea of using school feeding programs
as a vehicle for agricultural development has also gained momentum. The rationale
behind school feeding programs based on the use of locally-produced food is that
they can provide a regular market opportunity and a reliable source of income for
smallholder farmers Sumberg & Sabates-Wheeler (2011). In addition, there are other
appropriateness of the food, sustainability, and cost. A recent $12 million grant by
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the Imperial College in London for ‘Home
government action to deliver cost effective school feeding programs sourced from
Security” project to design and promote the “Alive School” program in Mozambique
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principle of ‘home grown school feeding’ whereby food will be directly purchased
from the local farming community to foster local economic development. School
feeding programs can thus be a powerful instrument for achieving many multi-
nutrition and health, and agricultural development. The recent food, fuel and
financial crises have highlighted the importance of school feeding programs both as
a social safety net for children living in poverty and food insecurity, and as a tool for
communities.
There are two forms of distribution of food in FFE programs: school feeding
programs and take-home rations. School feeding programs (SFP) provide meals or
snacks to school children on the site, whereas take-home rations (THR) are provided
to school children for consumption at home. Under SFP, the food provided to school
children can be either prepackaged or cooked on site. Table 1 lists some of the pros
and cons of these different types of FFE programs from the perspective of achieving
the desired effects and takes into consideration the possibility of linking with
The benefit of the food provided under the school feeding programs is
conditional on the attendance of the child on that specific day. Thus an advantage of
the SFP is that it serves as an incentive for children to attend school on a daily basis
to receive a meal, whereas to receive the benefit of THR, students need only to
attend a specified minimum number of days. The meals served at school may be
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nutritionally dense and can be easily fortified with additional nutrients that may be
scarce in local diets, such as iron or vitamins A and E. Targeting is broad in that all
children at the school are fed; it would be difficult to discern between children of
different socio-economic status (SES) within a school setting and likely disruptive to
the educational experience if some students were fed while others were not. Food
nutritional biscuits.
There are various ways in which food may be procured for the school feeding
programs. Until the recent past, food for these programs often came from donations
from developed countries in the form of food aid and delivered through organizations
such as the World Food Program (WFP). More recently, there has been more
Burkina Faso (Upton et al. 2012). Local (national level) value-added production has
also become more frequent in Bangladesh where wheat flour donated through WFP
was processed by seven local firms in a competitive bidding process to produce the
fortified biscuits used in the Bangladesh school feeding program (Ahmed 2004),
while in the Brazilian HGSF model as much food as possible is sourced from local
In the case of THR and SFP based on pre-packaged snack or a beverage, the
program may have to rely on a functional food processing sector at the regional or
national level to meet the needs. Take-home rations (THR) are usually conditional
in Burkina Faso, the WFP managed program requires attendance of 90 percent for
from the school or may occur outside of regular school hours. In areas where
enrollment and attendance of children is lower for girls, THR programs may be
employed to boost their attendance (and thus promote education for girls). Some
FFE programs may include both SFP and THR, and some SFPs may act as a possible
THR when children are given pre-packaged foods that can be consumed at home and
Households may decide to keep children from school based upon the direct
and indirect costs of attending school. Direct costs include fees, books and supplies,
uniforms and travel to school, while indirect costs are in the form of the opportunity
costs of children’s time. Rather than attending school, households may elect to have
their children take care for other family members, engage in household chores, work
on the family farm or business, or work in a wage earning job Cheung & Perrotta
(2010). If the expected benefits of a child’s education do not exceed the costs of
attending school, then the household will not send their child to school Adelman et
al. (2009). For families that can afford to send only one or some of their children to
school, the decision of which children to enrol in school may be determined by who
the family feels has the highest expected returns to education, which in many cases
means that girls are kept at home. Reducing the cost of schooling would increase
enrolment and attendance rates for children in such circumstances. In the case of a
SFP, both a hungry child and parents will have an incentive for daily attendance,
while for a THR program the parents have the incentive to send their children to
school for at least the minimum amount of time required to receive the rations
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(which varies by program). The additional food provided from a THR program can
be used to supplement the family’s nutritional needs or sold for additional income.
For households that benefit from SFPs, the meal provided at school is one fewer
meal that the household needs to provide to their child. From this perspective, both
the SFP and THR help the families by subsidizing the cost (i.e., the opportunity cost)
achievement, they also play an important role in achieving the nutritional goal (albeit
for children that already passed the critical early childhood influencing phase). For
families facing poverty, food choices are usually limited, resulting in nutritionally
inadequate diets that are often deficient in vital micronutrients Ash et al. (2003).
school-age children Arsenault et al. (2009). The most important period of growth
and body composition occurs in the first several years of life, well before enrollment
in a FFE program would begin. But SFP meals or snacks can be easily fortified to
help provide micronutrients that are commonly missing from children’s diets.
Behavioral Outcomes
School feeding programs are premised on the expectation that serving food at
school will increase enrollment and daily attendance of students. Thus, school
feeding programs are hypothesized to alter the schooling decision for families who
would not have sent their children to school otherwise Adelman, Gilligan, & Lehrer
(2008). This behavioral change by both the parents and the children is reflected in
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Cognitive Outcomes
There are studies that looked at the impact of FFE programs on the cognitive
performance, while ten looked at other cognitive effects, as tested by tools such as
the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and the Raven’s Colored
In the Bangladesh study, Ahmed (2004) tested 1,648 grade five students from
the treatment groups to see the effects of fortified snacks on school performance.
Since students had not finished grade five at the time of the testing, all students were
tested using a grade four test. The test scores for three subjects, Bengali, English,
and mathematics, and a combined score were all estimated using Tobit regressions.
Total test scores improved by 15.7 percent in the treatment group over the control,
with mathematics improving by 28.5 percent and English 22.2 percent; Bengali
scores increased but not statistically significantly. Similar to the study by Ahmed,
Meyers et al. (1989) found significantly greater improvements in total scale score
and language sub score, while marginal improvements were seen in mathematics and
reading sub scores. Not all of the results from studies looking at impacts of the FFE
public schools; in their non- experimental design, they found the impact of the SFP
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on school scores for students in grade three. The language scores for the third grade
students increased by 0.15 SD, but there was no significant effect on mathematics
mathematics. Tan, Lane, and Lassibille (2009) saw improved math and English test
scores due to the school feeding programs, but no impact on Filipino language test
scores.
Whaley et al. (2003) examined the impact of three different diets in rural
interventions - meat, milk, energy or the control (who were not fed) - were randomly
assigned to 555 grade one children for 21 months. The study found that children
significant difference in test scores. The other studies in this review compared milk
or meat to other treatment groups, though the study by Lien et al. (2009) in Vietnam
used milk or fortified milk to compare to a control group that consumed nothing.
Lien et al. (2009) did conduct several cognitive development tests in which milk
drinking children were found to have significantly higher work speed and higher
efficiency in the later part of the exercise. Recall of memorized words and numbers
was significantly higher for milk drinkers. Those consuming fortified milk
outperformed the regular milk drinking group (but results were not reported) Lien et
al. (2009).
old) in Adelaide, Australia, and Jakarta, Indonesia. Treatment groups were given one
micronutrients and two omega-3 fatty acids. The children (396 in Australia and 384
control double blind trials over the course of a year. Subjects from these two
locations were chosen to represent two socio-economic groups: (a) children who
were well-nourished and came from families with a high socioeconomic status, and
(b) children who were marginally nourished and came from low socioeconomic
status families. Cognitive testing occurred at the baseline, 6 months, and 12 months,
and included the longest battery of tests of any study in this review. Results indicate
economic prosperity in developing countries (Ecker & Nene 2012, Stevens et al.,
2012). The most recent report from Save the Children stated that adults who were
average, than those who were not (Save the Children, 2012). Majority of the children
interviewed highlighted that they came to school without having any breakfast. Most
of the respondents narrated that their lack of food and basic meals was a contributing
factor in dropping out of school. It was a major issue as they narrated that:
Sometimes we go to school without a meal. Some grade seven learners have dropped
out of school because of not having any food at home. We sometimes only have one
meal a day and sometimes sleep without taking in any food. We eat low calorie and
less nutritious food like black tea in the morning and sadza and vegetables
health and nutrition related outcomes. The studies covered different types of
outcomes, which can be grouped into four categories: anemia, calories (energy),
nutrient status, and morbidity and illnesses. Results exhibit consistent positive effects
on the well-being of the children, with the exception of nutrient related outcomes,
which had mixed results. Calories, in themselves, would normally be an input in the
that included calories (or energy), were attempting to measure the degree to which
the intervention “sticks” to the children. In other words, the researchers wondered if
the children receive all of the benefit from the FFE and are not penalized later by
parents by changing the distribution of food within the household to others (i.e.,
compared to regular biscuits to see the impact on the micronutrient status of primary
school children. The study had particular interest in improving the status of iron,
iodine, and vitamin A in children, as deficiencies in any of these three have been
shown to affect the mental development and learning ability of children, lead to
greater susceptibility of illnesses and infections and lead to further long-term health
issues Van Stuijvenberg et al. (2009). The biscuits were fortified with iron, iodine
data on micronutrient status of the treatment and control groups were collected at the
baseline, six months and 12 months after the intervention. Significant treatment
effects were found for serum retinol (a measure of vitamin A); serum ferritin, serum
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higher rate for those in the treatment group over the course of the intervention, while
goiter did not decrease. The intervention also impacted the number of days the
children in the treatment group missed school for respiratory related illnesses. Days
missed from school due to diarrhea related illnesses were significantly fewer.
Ash et al. (2003) provided fortified beverages and placebos to children in six
rural primary schools in Tanzania. Like the intervention in Tanzania, the fortification
included iron, a form of vitamin A, and iodine plus other micronutrients, such as zinc
and vitamin B-12 Ash et al. (2003). In the treatment group, of those anemic at
baseline, a cure rate of 21 percent was seen and 27 percent of the potential new cases
the control group Ash et al. (2003). The treatment significantly increased hemoglobin
concentration in the fortified group over the nonfortified group. In another fortified
food program, Muthayya et al. (2009) found that the high micronutrient treatments
Twelve months after the beginning of the intervention, the researchers found that for
anemia, iron, folate, and vitamin B-12 deficiencies, the high micronutrient groups
were able to significantly drop the prevalence over that of the low micronutrient
groups. Similar impacts were seen in both the high socioeconomic (Australia) and
low socioeconomic status (Indonesia) children in the Osendarp et al. (2007) study.
concentrations of hemoglobin, folate, vitamin B-12, and serum ferritin over the
Food for education programs (FFE), including meals served in school and
for school participation. If children are undernourished, the programs may also boost
learning and cognitive development by improving attention spans and nutrition. The
According to Adelman et al. (2008), in-school meals programs may also have
an impact on cognitive development, though the size and nature of the effect vary
greatly by program, micronutrient content of the food, and the measure of cognitive
scores and on drop-out rates. Furthermore, the subject of the achievement test seems
to matter. In general,school feeding does not seem to have the same impact on all
specification to isolate the effects of the program in Bangladesh, found that students
in program schools score 15.7 percenthigher than did students in the control schools.
He further decomposed this increase into the three subjects that make up the total
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score and found that the improvement was due mainly to an increase in the
Mathematics test score. Tan, Lane, and Lassibille (2009) evaluated the impact of the
school feeding program in the Philippines, and they found that the impacts of the
school feeding program were not significant at the school level. Kremer and
Vermeersch (2004) found that the treatment impact alone was not significantly
different from zero. However, school meals increased test scores in schools where
the teacher was experienced. This result was found by regressing the test score on
both a treatment variable as well as a treatment variable interacted with the teacher’s
experience.
Micronutrient Supplementation
for the functioning of the brain. Most important are the vitamins A, C, E, and B
complex vitamins. Manganese and magnesium are two minerals essential for brain
functioning; sodium, potassium and calcium play a role in message transmission and
impulses slowing for lack of sufficient iron. Research published in the Journal of
School Health (2008) reveals that children with iron deficiencies significant enough
following iron therapy. Iodine deficiencies in early years have similarly been
associated with poor cognition and school achievement. Also considered vital for
calcium. They also stated that children with nutritional deficiencies are particularly
34
ability and performance of the brain. Treatment with nutritional supplements can
normal diet. Children who receive supplements must obtain them regularly;
vitamin A capsules to prevent blindness, iron tablets to prevent anaemia and iodized
oil or iodized salt to prevent goitre and mental retardation. Ample evidence exists of
integral part of daily life that contributes to the physiological, mental and social well-
being of individuals. It is the combined effect of food, health and care. Nutritional
requirements. The health and lifestyle of an individual influences the extent to which
food contributes to good social, mental and physical well-being. Care is shown by
35
providing time, attention and support in the household and the community to meet
the food and health needs of the child and other family members. Furthermore, social
ties are validated and maintained by the exchange of food since offering food is
intellectual, social and emotional well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
provide them with the opportunity to reach their fullest developmental potential
(WHO Definition). This topic is linked to the sub-problem 5 talking about the
According to the writers named Janet Powney, Heather Malcolm, and Kevin
Lowden who wrote the Health and Attainment, the effects of physical health on
attainment are more pronounced for children at risk and in poverty. These children
are more likely to suffer a range of illnesses, which impacts on the time they spend at
school learning. Simply being poor is associated with poor health, which in turn has
inherited can play a role in limiting learning. These include the effects of passive
smoking, high blood lead levels, anemia and even the level and quality of light.
Physical exercise has been associated with higher motivation at school, reducing
They also restated that poor mental health can manifest in a range of problem
behaviors that can affect concentration, and cause difficulties and low achievement at
36
school itself. Some studies highlight that risk taking involving behaviors that affect
physical and mental health, such as substance misuse, can have a long term
detrimental effect on health, particularly, where substances affect brain function and
personality. Misuse of certain substances including alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs
is associated, for some pupils, with lower school grades and negative attitudes to
school.
Our health and well-being, quality of life and ability to learn, work and play
depend on how well we are nourished. Good nutrition or nutritional status is the
safe, affordable and nutritious food, and care and health services. The nutritional
status of an individual depends on how well requirements for energy and more than
50 different nutrients are met. Requirements and eating behavior (what, where, when
and how often specific foods are eaten) are determined by a large number of
conclusions reached will depend on the norms or standards used for comparison.
Research and studies explained that food and nutrition had a significant role
optimal brain function. Relative abundance of these nutrients can affect cognitive
37
processes and emotions. Erickson (2006) pointed out key components required to
keep the brain functioning correctly. Erickson discussed vitamins and minerals as an
important substance for the functioning of the brain. Most important are the vitamins
essential for brain functioning while sodium, potassium and calcium take part in
message transmission and the thinking process. He also considered an adequate daily
supply of proteins, complex carbohydrates and calcium were vital for academic
success.
Child's poor eating habits could lead to a variety problems with energy, focus,
mood and concentration, as well as directly impair that child's capacity to learn.
experience difficulty fighting off infections, causing them to fall ill more frequently,
miss more days of class and struggle harder to catch up with the rest of the class,
healthy eating habits..This program provides food rich in protein and micronutrients
weight and also school attendance and achievement .The composition of provided
meals in terms of food items and nutritional value often leads to educational
achievement.
38
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of Bandura supported the study because the
feeding program conducted in the school. Introducing them to more nutritious food
such as vegetable and fruits rich in nutrients were not only the focused of the study.
It also gave awareness to the participants that good health also developed sound
proliferation of good-tasting and affordable lower fat foods, fruits and vegetables,
and whole grain foods, individuals’ confidence in their abilities. In previous research,
self-efficacy has been associated with healthy nutrition patterns. The perceived social
support for healthy eating from important others, such as family and friends (a
behavior are dependent on the individuals’ efficacy beliefs and serve as incentives
(or disincentives) for healthier food choices. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations
are posited to influence behavior directly and through the development and use of
self-regulatory behaviors. Among people who desire a healthy diet and who have
access to healthy foods, the content their diets will be determined largely by how
39
well they set goals, plan, and monitor—self-regulate—what they buy and eat.
Stronger efficacy beliefs lead individuals to expect to reap the benefits and avoid the
In this theory, family and school have a vital role in developing the behavior
performance.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
gained led to the development of this conceptual framework. Pupils learn better and
faster when they are healthy and have sound mind. Good health and nutrition are
findings between the nutritional status and cognitive test scores or school
performance. Consistently, children with more adequate diets score higher on tests of
factual knowledge than those with less adequate nutrition. Feeding program was one
of the intervention given by the school for severely wasted students. Having a well
nourished students could led them to better performance in school. Thus, improving
Research Paradigm
Output concept.
the weight and height before and after the feeding program; and their Grade Point
Average for the first and fourth quarter to know the relationship of academic
underwent an intervention through the school feeding program. The data gathered
Elementary School.
The main concern of the study is to determine the nutritional status as an indicator of
1. What is the nutritional status of the participants before and after the feeding
program
1.1 Weight
1.2 Height
4. What appropriate program can be developed based on the result of the study?
Hypothesis
School. The academic performance was based on the Grade Point Average (GPA) for
the first quarter and fourth quarter of the participants. It focused on how their
nutritional status affect their academic performance and cognitive functioning. The
target participants of the study was composed of fifty (50) severely wasted students
some insights in solving problems arising among elementary pupils’ nutritional status
and classroom performance. Knowing these connections they may perceive higher
grade or rate for the pointing system per schools given by the division by having
excellent strategies to enrich the teachers’ awareness about the pupils’ skills and
needs.
Teachers. The school is the institution for formal education. The awareness
of the teacher on the child’s needs are necessary in planning activities in the school
and to know the proper way to empower pupils to perform better in their school
performance.
Pupils. The findings of this study are relevant to the pupils’ development.
This may shed information that having a good nutrition is essential to their academic
performance.
43
Parents. This study will help the parents to know how to be more creative
and show compassion to their children by motivating them to take the proper food
and vitamins.
Future Researcher. This research may give future researchers and graduate
students insights for conceptualizing similar or related studies that may help them
DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terms in the study were operationally defined to provide better
participants
Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a number calculated from a person’s height
and weight. It provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people
and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems
(CDC, 2000).
participants.
Chapter 2
METHODS
This chapter presents the procedures and processes employed in the conduct
of the study. It includes the research design, the respondents, instruments used and
Research Design
45
and scientific approach to research wherein the researcher manipulates one or more
variables, controls and measures any change in other variables. Richard Shavelson &
Lisa Towne (2002) concluded that “from a scientific perspective, randomized trials
are the ideal for establishing whether one or more factors caused change in an
assignment to treatments and control of extraneous variables Mayer states that if one
methodology. That’s why the researcher made used of true experiment, before and
after performance designs were the preferred method to compare participant groups
interventions. Thus, this research was designed to look into what is the current status
years old. The participants were categorized as experimental group. The age and
11 14 28
12 25 50
13 7 14
14 2 4
15 2 4
Total 50 100
Participants
Gender f %
Male 28 56
Female 22 44
Total 50 100
Sources of Data
needed for the study. The Nutritional Card of the pupil is a data accomplished by the
teacher at the beginning of the school year specifically every 1st week of the Month
of July. It is a standardized data formulated and given by the DepEd. It contained the
data that were stated in Chapter 1. A letter requesting for permission to conduct the
study was given to the Superintendent of the Division of City Schools Caloocan
The researcher started gathering data using the internet and found some
books and magazines at the library that were related to the study.
secured the data of the Nutritional Status of the pupil thru their Nutritional Card from
the adviser of the pupil. The researcher categorized the participants as experimental
group.
The researcher requested the Grade Point Average of the respondents for the
first quarter from their respective adviser. The data were gathered in the end. After
47
the first quarter, the participants was given the treatment through the school feeding
program After the given period of time, the researcher gathered the Grade Point
Average (GPA) for the fourth quarter of the participants. The researcher also
gathered the nutritional status of the participants after the feeding program. The data
Data Analysis
utilized the following statistical treatment to ensure validity and reliability of the
result:
the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, family income, mother’s
Where:
P = Percentage
f = Frequency
n = Number of Respondents
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X1 - X2
T= S21 + S22
N1 N2
Where:
References:
Ahmed AU, Billah K.(1994). Food for Education Program in Bangladesh: An Early
Assessment. International Food Policy Research Institute, Bangladesh
Food Policy Project, Dhaka.
49
Del Rosso JM, Marek T. (1996). Class Action: Improving School Performance in the
Developing
World through Better Health and Nutrition. Directions in Development, World Bank.
Jacoby E, Pollitt E. (1997). Benefits of a School Breakfast Program among Andean Children
in
Huaraz, Peru. Food and Nutrition Bulletin.
Meyers AF., Sampson AE., Weitzman M., Rogers BL., & Kayne H. (1989). School Breakfast
Program and School Performance. American Journal of Disabled Children
143:1234-1239
Stang, J. (PHD)., & Bayerl, C.T. (2003). Child and adolescent food and nutrition
programs. Journal of American Dietetic Association. 887-893.
INTERNET SOURCES
Partnership for Child Development: The health and nutritional status of school children in
Africa: evidence from school-based health programmes in Ghana and Tanzania.
Transactions of
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questionnaire.html#ixzz2l4MACYXX
Glewwe, P., Jacoby, E., & King, E. (1999). Early Childhood Nutrition And Academic
http://www.suite101.com/content/link-between-nutrition-and-academic-
performance-a278743 Accessed 13 May 2011
Satcher, D. (2004). The Role of Sound Nutrition and Physical Activity in Academic
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