Research shows students learn better when they’re well nourished. Healthy eating has been linked to higher grades, better memory, faster information processing and improved health leading to better school attendance, according to registered dietitian Elisa Zied, author of Feed Your Family Right. On the contrary, unhealthy eating habits can negatively affect learning. Researchers have studied many areas related to eating and learning.
Skipping breakfast can have a negative impact on learning. A higher percentage of breakfast eaters passed a biology exam in one study of college students. It’s also important to eat a high-quality breakfast. In a study of students between the ages of twelve and thirteen, the average mark increased as breakfast quality improved.
Even with breakfast, the brain can run out of fuel before lunch. In one study of students between the ages of seven and nine, having a mid-morning snack improved memory. The children who ate a smaller breakfast and lunch but consumed a mid-morning snack experienced a smaller decline in immediate and delayed memory. Attention wasn’t affected, however. Zied recommends yogurt with blueberries; this fruit has been proven to be linked to better memory in studies. A hard-boiled egg is also a good snack choice.
Kids who eat healthily are more likely to attend school. Without proper nutrition and adequate calories, students often don’t have enough energy to power the brain, resulting in tiredness and learning problems. In fact, alertness(机敏) improved significantly in students eating breakfast in one study of high school students published in the journal Pediatrics.
A study of public school students published in the Journal of School Health linked high intake of sweetened drinks, such as sugary sodas, to lower scores in math tests. A diet high in junk food and sugary sodas is also linked to childhood obesity, which could result in lower cognitive(认知的) functioning, according to the Yale University research. On the other hand, students with healthy eating habits are less likely to be overweight and more likely to learn well.
【小题1】What is an effective way for students to improve their memory?| A．Eating a big breakfast on a regular basis. |
| B．Staying away from junk food in daily life. |
| C．Eating something healthy at about 10:00 am |
| D．Adding yogurt with strawberries to their daily diet. |
| A．Students will have better attendance at school after eating healthily. |
| B．Students will have a good performance as long as they are well fed. |
| C．A high-quality breakfast will make a difference to students, learning. |
| D．Every student has a strong awareness of eating breakfast. |
| A．They would become less confident at school. |
| B．They would grow too overweight to work out. |
| C．They would become unwilling to attend school. |
| D．They would fall behind other students at school. |
| A．The impacts of eating habits on students’ learning |
| B．The advantages of healthy eating habits |
| C．Some suggestions on how to learn better |
| D．The link between diets and learning |
