Show me a large study, randomized, where school lunch and breakfast quality was dramatically improved and test scores went way up. It would be a bombshell and I would love to use it in my line of work!
studied over a thousand kids.
Longitudinal study; not randomized:
behavior improved significantly, including fewer dropouts. The article also says this:
The behavior of the students in Appleton is consistent with previous, more rigorous scientific studies that suggest that better school lunches improve student performance, says the WELL Said post:
Proof exists that reducing sugar and fat intake leads to higher IQ’s and improved grades in school. Stephen Schoenthaler, professor of criminal justice at California State University proved that much when he conducted a study on students at 803 low-income neighborhood schools in New York City. With a supervised change in the students’ diets, passing final exam grades went from 11% below the national average to 5% above it.
of this report, which has references at the end:
A growing body of research connects better nutrition with higher achievement on standardized tests; increased cognitive function, attention, and memory; and an array of positive behavioral indicators, including better school attendance and cooperation. Hungry teens are more likely to be suspended from school, experience difficulty getting along with other children, and have no friends. Undernourished children are more likely to repeat a grade and require more special education and mental health services. Nutrient deficiencies, refined sugars and carbohydrates, pesticide residues, preservatives, and artificial colorings in food have all been associated with altered thinking and behavior as well as neurodevelopmental disorders.
Or just do a Google search.
Look, I'm not saying that improving food quality is a magic solution to solving underachievement. But I've seen enough to know that it's a good start.
