Nutrition Achievement Gap
Nutrition and the Achievement Gap in Education
The Achievement Gap (AG) is one of the largest problems in the public school education system. Black and Hispanic males make up the largest percentage of… “Quote” Sadly, many of these children live in poverty and according to… these children suffer from malnutrition and ? a an alarming rate. Children who live in impoverished areas make up the largest percentage of the Achievement Gap because they do not have access to nutritious food which affects their health, contributes to their academic performance, escalates behavioral issues, and impacts their overall mental health.
One main component of physical health is proper nutrition. This is important to provide the necessary vitamins and energy to live a normal life. However, many students do not have access to fresh produce and may only result to inexpensive food packed with preservatives and other unhealthy substances. A balanced diet is important to living a healthy life. To stress the importance of eating healthy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has stated, “Few recognize that unhealthy diet is a leading cause of disability”(Why Good Nutrition is Important | Center for Science in the Public Interest). One disability that can be acquired by a lack of nutrition is a major disease called diabetes. This disease is one that “affects how the …show more content…
Many kids choose not to take advantage of the free meals they have available to them. This is often due to social pressures and shame about not being able to bring lunch from home or purchase lunch like other children may be able to do. A New York Times article found that, “Only 37 percent of eligible high school students citywide take advantage of the subsidized meal program”. (Pogash) This low statistic reflects kids nationwide who go hungry at lunch to avoid being singled out by their
The Achievement Gap (AG) is one of the largest problems in the public school education system. Black and Hispanic males make up the largest percentage of… “Quote” Sadly, many of these children live in poverty and according to… these children suffer from malnutrition and ? a an alarming rate. Children who live in impoverished areas make up the largest percentage of the Achievement Gap because they do not have access to nutritious food which affects their health, contributes to their academic performance, escalates behavioral issues, and impacts their overall mental health.
One main component of physical health is proper nutrition. This is important to provide the necessary vitamins and energy to live a normal life. However, many students do not have access to fresh produce and may only result to inexpensive food packed with preservatives and other unhealthy substances. A balanced diet is important to living a healthy life. To stress the importance of eating healthy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has stated, “Few recognize that unhealthy diet is a leading cause of disability”(Why Good Nutrition is Important | Center for Science in the Public Interest). One disability that can be acquired by a lack of nutrition is a major disease called diabetes. This disease is one that “affects how the …show more content…
Many kids choose not to take advantage of the free meals they have available to them. This is often due to social pressures and shame about not being able to bring lunch from home or purchase lunch like other children may be able to do. A New York Times article found that, “Only 37 percent of eligible high school students citywide take advantage of the subsidized meal program”. (Pogash) This low statistic reflects kids nationwide who go hungry at lunch to avoid being singled out by their