Seeking Answers to Student Struggles

The piece in the Tampa Bay Times, Personal Best, 4/7/12, page 18; Fats So Maddening, transfat/sugar laden food and its impact on behavior was enlightening. Connecting the dots maybe a critical piece of a puzzle. We have a nation of chidren who are failing in school. We have clear data on nutrition and learning and now behavior. Food has become a sacred cow that we are afraid to address as a primary factor in cortical function. I know we cannot make families eat a healty diet but if we looked at this model from India ( see NPR link below) it may be a starting point. Once a day these schools provide a nutrient dense meal to these children. The meal consists of rice, lentils and vegetables with indian bread. It has drastically changed the learning ability of these children. It is cost effective. If our children's health and ability to learn and do well is our primary concern as a community we should consider this model. Perhaps we could roll this out as part of the free/reduced meal program. Health is not a balance of calories in and calories out but one of sound nutrition.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/04/06/149867092/indian-engine...

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Comment by John Hanna on April 19, 2012 at 10:21pm: Yes but you aren't considering the numbers, it may be an election year.

There are hundreds of people employed in the school system cafeterias not to mention those cousins and uncles that grab up the food supply contracts where, after seventeen levels of quality control, each providing good jobs with retirements and insurance and the company car, the same old sugar/fat laden cheap food is provided at premium prices.

"They won't eat the good stuff" they say (how many people does it take to warm up some lentils and rice?).

Well, no, not when they get a choice and the staff itself is complaining.

Whoever made that decision will be accused of mistreating the poor, who can vote.

Actually, my kids received free lunch when I was between jobs but if they ever complained about a nutritious meal provided by others I would have smacked em around like bowling pins.

(just kidding about the smacking part)

Comment by terre tulsiak on April 8, 2012 at 8:53pm: I wish I knew how to go about it- it seems so obvious to me that physically active children eat readily what you put in front of them and then sleep better, learn better, etc. Our School Board is so giddy about the Gates bequest they won't make a move without checking with the auditors, much less consider maybe planting a garden!