Nutrition in school-aged children

Nutrition in School-Aged Children
Childhood poverty comes with many challenges. Some of these challenges include unemployment, teenage pregnancy, poor education achievement and even criminality. It is important that the concerns of the children are addressed so that the money spent on such issues is reduced. According to the research done in different schools, in one where the children were 24, 23 had breakfast, 24 had lunch and 22 had fruits in that lunch while on the other hand in another school of 27, only 21 had breakfast, 14 had lunch and none had a fruit.
The researchers have addressed the issue of nutrition and poverty and how it affects the school aged children. Some of the children do not have enough to eat each day because they come from poor families. Childhood is a critical time of growth where proper nutrition is necessary. Children with poor diets are prone to illness. The children are at a higher risk for mental, obesity and emotional health problems. They might also fail to thrive academically.
Research shows that children with poor nutrition are likely to miss days of school and hence repeat classes. When a school-aged child does not get enough vitamins and minerals, it could lead to lethargy. Research shows that there is an association between child nutrition and the level of IQ of the child. Poor nutrition leads to a lower IQ. Failure to thrive socially and academically due to improper diet can have impacts that last throughout the person’s lifetime (Kelleher, Ireland & National University of Ireland, 2003).
In addition, school going children who do not access proper nutrition, are prone to psychological disorders such as learning disabilities and anxiety. These children are likely to require mental health counseling. Some nutrition habits such as skipping of meals are linked to depression
In conclusion, issues such as nutrition in school-aged children should be addressed. In dealing with this issue illness, injury and death in the children will be prevented. Those in power should affect these questions to help the children
References
Kelleher, C., Ireland. & the National University of Ireland, Galway. (2003). The national health & lifestyle surveys: Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition (SLÁN) & the Irish Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey (HBSC). Dublin: Health Promotion Unit, Department of Health and Children.