Free School Meals Campaign
Food for thought
Roz Paterson looks at international projects which have examined the impact
of healthy eating in schools, and discovers that nutritious school meals can
help transform life in the classroom, and the health of the whole population.
In 1997, the Central
Alternative High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, was a
place you didn’t want to be.
The students, noted an incoming member of staff, were “rude, obnoxious
and out of control.”
The police had been called in several times, to deal with kids taking drugs
or in possession of guns.
Youngsters were dropping out, truanting, failing, and the teachers were at
their wits’ end.
Walk through the corridors now and you’ll be struck by how quiet the
place is during lessons, how cheerful the majority of students are. Look closer.
Note too that there are no vending machines purveying Coca-Cola or 7-Up. And
no burgers or fries for sale in the canteen.
So what happened? Good, nutritious school dinners is what happened.
In 1997, Natural Ovens of Minitowac,
Wisconsin, who catered for state schools
throughout Wisconsin, kicked off a five year project designed to establish
whether good, fresh, nutritious food would lead to improvements in children’s
health, learning ability and behaviour.
Replacing the usual suspects, the greasy meats and chips, the fizzy drinks
and chocolate bars, were salads and vegetables, meat stews and lean cuts, whole
grain breads, fresh fruit and plentiful water.
Almost as soon as the programme began, the effects were noticeable.
Expulsion rates and drop-outs began to dwindle. Weapons and drugs violations,
and suicides, reduced to zero.
Teachers were astounded. Suddenly they didn’t have to spend their working
lives being disciplinarians; they could actually teach. And be more ambitious
in what they taught, as their pupils were taking it all in.
As for the students, they were calmer, more motivated, and happier.
One teacher noted how some teenagers, who had been on the fast-track to juvenile
detention, had turned themselves around and become hard-working pupils.
Furthermore, said Deb Larson, the high school counsellor, as general indiscipline
went down, there was space to identify real problems.
“I don’t have the angry outbursts, so instead, we got to deal with
the real issues that were underlying and causing some of the problems in the
kids’ lives.”
Good food works like this... as they say on those hair ads, here’s the
science! The brain is an organ of the body. Like the liver or the heart, it
needs nutrients to work properly. It needs water, proteins, carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins and minerals.
The neurotransmitters which ferry signals to and from the brain need amino
acids to function; these are found in meat, fish and cheese.
To convert the amino acids into neurotransmitters, you need a diet rich in
vitamins and minerals, which means a diet as varied as you can manage, including
plenty of fresh fruit and veg, but also seeds, nuts, eggs, fish and pulses.
Fat is essential. In fact, half the brain is fat, as each neuron is encased
in fat molecules.
This fat layer helps conduct nerve impulses faster. It also regulates circulation,
inflammation, memory and mood. Thus a fat-free diet for a growing child is
a disaster.
Carbohydrates are essential too, as they give the brain energy.
Grains, fruit and veg contain carbohydrates which break down to form the sugar
glucose. They do so steadily and slowly, which is important.
A sugar jag, from chocolate or coke, will give you an energy spike, followed
by a dip. Bad enough in adults but for youngsters, this can lead to dizziness
and confusion manifesting as a lethargic, distracted attitude.
Finally, think water, think blood. Blood keeps everything moving and working.
It is 83 per cent water, so hydration throughout the day is vital if you are
to concentrate properly.
There has been plentiful research in this area, showing, for instance, that
iron deficiencies can lead to shortening of the attention span, irritability,
fatigue and poor concentration.
Low protein levels have been linked to poor exam results.
Enough science for ya? OK, so back to Wisconsin, where pupils were enthused
by the new food, and how it made them feel.
Said one teenage girl, “Now that I can concentrate, I think it is easier
to get along with people.”
Said Dr Thomas Scullon, supervisor of schools in the district:
“It can take several years to make the transition. The program will sell
itself on its own merits, given the time.”
He continued: “I think instead of looking at the food program as a ‘break-even’ we
have to take a look at what do we have to put in to make it really good for
kids.
“If it results in a happier kid, improved learning and ultimately a better
community, then it’s a cost we cannot avoid. It’s something we must
do.”
School principal LeAnn Coenen agrees:
“I can’t buy the argument that it’s too costly for schools
to provide good nutrition for their students.
“I found that one cost will reduce another.
“I don’t have the vandalism. I don’t have the litter. I don’t
have the need for high security.
“We’ve got to stop using our most precious commodity - our kids -
to make extra money.”