In my previous blogs I have spoken extensively on the inequalities of students from low and high socio-economic statuses. In my blog “Equality doesn’t always mean equal” I stated that those from low socio-economic areas tend to have many more challenges to overcome than those from wealthy families.
One of these challenges’ manifests at lunchtime. In a 3New story by Tristram Clayton (2012), the lunches of two classes of junior students at two different schools were compared. The first school was a decile 10, suggesting that majority of students were from high socio-economic families. All students in the class had some form of lunch, most of those lunches were healthy, nutritious and contained fruit. The same experiment was conducted in a classroom at a decile 1 school, where majority of the students are from low socio-economic families. In sobering contrast to the decile 10 school, only 14 of the 27 students in the class had lunch. Majority of those lunches were greatly lacking in nutrition and contained sugary foods such as biscuits and not one of the lunches from this school contained any fruit.
Watch the news article here: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2017/05/lunchbox-differences-in-decile-1-and-decile-10-schools.html
During university, I majored in chemistry and genetics, one fact learnt in a biochemistry class has always stuck with me: The brain cannot store fuel! The body and brain are fuelled mainly by glucose. Glucose in the food we eat is then converted to energy during cellular respiration. The brain consumes on average around 120g of glucose per day (approx. 60% of the glucose intake based on an intake of 1760kJ). As the brain cannot store glucose, it requires a constant supply. The brain receives glucose from the bodies store via a glucose transporter. In order to provide optimal conditions for the brain, the body must consume enough nutrients to support its function (Berg, Tymoczko & Stryer. 2002).
Let’s neglect for a moment the phycological effects of being hungry. A child who receives inadequate nutrition during the day is essentially trying to learn on a starving brain! The levels of glucose in the brain directly affects the production of neurochemicals that assist with the creation of long-term memory and attention span. Therefore, a hungry child, or one receiving inadequate nutrition, is at a great biological disadvantage for academic success. A starving brain is also less effective at producing chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and epinephrine. The long-term effects of depletion in these chemicals may lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Now, looking at the phycological effects of being hungry, we have all experienced the sensation of hunger to some degree. Many of us will be aware that the feeling of hunger can have a great effect on a person’s ability to regulate their emotions. The loss of temper or irritability caused by an empty stomach is so universal that it was even given its own name, “hangry!” The ability to control ones mood, despite the feeling of hunger, requires an emotional maturity that is out of reach to most adults, so it goes without saying that a hungry child may experience the type of emotional turmoil that may result in what the child’s teacher will call a behavioural or social issue.
To learn more about how food effects your brain, check out this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyQY8a-ng6g
References
Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L. Biochemistry. 5th edition. New York: W H Freeman; 2002. Section 30.2, Each Organ Has a Unique Metabolic Profile. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22436/
Clayton, T. (2012). Lunchbox differences in decile and and decile 10 schools. NewsHub. Retrieved from https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2017/05/lunchbox-differences-in-decile-1-and-decile-10-schools.html
Nacamulli, M. (2016). How the food you eat effects your brain. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyQY8a-ng6g
Miss Smith's Provocations Blog 
I opine that your scientific approach to clarify the relation of food deprivation and students’ health is commendable. This affects the learning of the students. Nutrition and food play a significant role in sustaining the good health and well-being of adolescents. Food insecurity results in malnutrition which hurts the health and well-being of the learners. Consequently, the development and achievement levels of the students are disrupted (Utter et al., 2018). I got the opportunity to teach in both high decile and low decile schools during practicum. In the second practicum, I observed the low socio-economic background students experiencing food deprivation. The learning level of the average number of students in the second college was low in comparison to the high socio-economic background students of the first college. It is difficult for a hungry body to participate effectively in any type of learning process. To be honest I feel irritated when I am hungry and find it strenuous to concentrate. So, it is obvious that a school child will pose a behavioral issue due to an inability to control emotions with an empty stomach.
Manjot Kaur
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I opine that your scientific approach to clarify the relation of food deprivation and students’ health is commendable. This affects the learning of the students. Nutrition and food play a significant role in sustaining the good health and well-being of adolescents. Food insecurity results in malnutrition which hurts the health and well-being of the learners. Consequently, the development and achievement levels of the students are disrupted (Utter et al., 2018). I got the opportunity to teach in both high decile and low decile schools during practicum. In the second practicum, I observed the low socio-economic background students experiencing food deprivation. The learning level of the average number of students in the second college was low in comparison to the high socio-economic background students of the first college. It is difficult for a hungry body to participate effectively in any type of learning process. To be honest I feel irritated when I am hungry and find it strenuous to concentrate. So, it is obvious that a school child will pose a behavioral issue due to an inability to control emotions with an empty stomach.
Manjot Kaur
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Hi Karly,
I’m really interested in this area when it comes to nutrition and eating for students and how it affects their learning and wellbeing. From being at different decile level schools, I agree with what you have said. Students at lower decile schools have fewer options and unhealthy ones at times. I see students do not have the knowledge in these schools about what they’re eating and drinking and what effects it will have on their overall wellbeing.
Ministry of education has the free healthy lunches starting next year, but the problem with this is that is it for only primary schools now. With my experience being within both for coaching and teaching, I see students at college level have less to eat and less healthy foods than those at primary school. This is something I feel like they didn’t look at closely.
Jordan
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Hi Karly,
It’s true students living in low-socio-economic areas have so many challenges compared to those living in lush areas. During my practicum at a low decile school I found that the students priority wasn’t their education and getting enough credits for university but they had issues at home to worry about, working late hours just to put food on the table, sleeping in a cold, wet garage and having to worry about whether they’ll be fed that night or not.
One of the biggest issues in two of my practicums were hungry students. Every day I would ask them if they had breakfast, it was always a no. Most students would come into school with a bag of lollies in one hand a bottle of fizzy drink in the other. That was their lunch for the day… so obviously it didn’t come to my surprise when they just didn’t feel like learning, they would come into class tired and sluggish and would always be disengaged. It was awesome to read the scientific break down of literally feeding your brain. It’s so hard seeing students come into class so hungry (I can’t go three hours without having to eat something). As a food technology teacher, it is important for my students to learn about healthy eating and to eat enough to fuel their body but it’s hard. What can we do as teachers to get students to eat healthier? And more so students who just simply can’t afford to eat?
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