By Beth Rush

The maxim “you are what you eat” is a common phrase adults pass around as diet advice, and it also holds true for children. Nutrition impacts how efficiently you conduct everyday tasks, but how important is it for kids? It’s actually quite essential for healthy growth and development. Here’s how eating nutritious foods benefits your young ones. 

Brain Development Wholesome food options have been shown to favor children’s cognition. Researchers found that 1-year-olds who consumed foods labeled as snacks, processed, and containing sugar had smaller amounts of white matter in their brains when they reached age 10. In contrast, 8-year-olds who ate foods categorized as whole grains, dairy, and soft fats had larger brain and cerebral gray matter volumes at age 10. It goes to show that a healthy diet benefits growing children.

Behavior and Learning The hippocampus and amygdala are two brain areas tied to children’s behavior and learning. The hippocampus is responsible for memory and learning and is also involved in digestion, appetite, and acquired eating habits. The amygdala is associated with the brain’s reward circuit and controls consumption patterns. 

Both brain regions are susceptible to the effects of poor eating patterns, such as high-fat diets. One study showed that a Western diet featuring high-fat options negatively affected the hippocampus and amygdala. It disrupted the formation of memories and new neurons, resulting in diet-induced abnormalities that affected learning abilities and behaviors. 

In addition, Western breakfast staples, like bacon and sausages, are processed meats that can potentially cause cancer and other conditions. They’re also quite fatty and can lead to weight increase. Therefore, be mindful of what you give your young one, as their body uses food substances to build up certain brain areas. 

The Impact of Nutrition Wellness Programs in Public Schools Some public schools in the U.S. have nutrition wellness programs that focus on providing kids with the various healthful foods they need. Their prevalence has increased mainly due to kids’ educational performance and behavior. Here are some outstanding merits of these nutrition initiatives.

1. Decreased Risk of Obesity The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorizes funding of nutrition programs for over 50 million kids in 99,000 schools nationwide. Researchers have found that the risk of obesity in impoverished children declined significantly after implementing this policy. Children’s obesity rates would have been 47 percent higher in 2018 but resulted in 500,000 fewer cases after this law took effect. Consuming healthier foods helps kids maintain a balanced BMI. 

2. Reduced Chronic Absences Free meals also boost attendance, which can have a long-lasting impact on a child’s life. A study on kindergarten students found that those who received universal free meals had 1 percent higher attendance or about 1.8 more days in a school year than those who did not. Moreover, their chronic absenteeism was 5.4 percent points lower than their counterparts. 

3. Better Academic Performance Vegetable-loaded lunches help improve children’s academic performance. In a recent study, experts found that schoolwide free meals considerably boosted math scores of elementary and Hispanic students. Grade school students improved more than average, while the Hispanic group grew the most among all racial categories. Fruits and vegetables are packed with multivitamins and nutrients your kid needs to ace all their tests. 

4. Positive Diet Behaviors These programs have also promoted food and nutrition literacy among children and adolescents. This form of education positively affects their nutrition skills, particularly how they select and prepare food, improve their diet, and consciously choose to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. 

They’ll learn that broccoli is rich in calcium and helps build strong bones, and kale and pumpkin are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the brain. Giving children access to wholesome meals elevates their health, encouraging them to be less picky when eating vegetables and fruits.

Nutrition Is Vital for Early Childhood Education Nutrition wellness programs can teach children better lifestyle choices, which can impact their adult lives. One way to support these initiatives is by participating in and supporting them. Help teachers shape your kids’ future by making smarter decisions about their foods at home so they can grow strong, both physically and mentally.

Beth Rush is the green wellness editor at Body+Mind, a health and wellness brand. She covers topics like sustainable healthcare and all the ways human health is inextricably linked to planetary health. Beth is raising her own family on plant-based recipes and mindful nutrition. You can find Beth on X @bodymindmag.