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͞Nutrition and Student Performance at School͟, by Howard Taras and ͞Effects of diet on
behaviour and academic performance in children͟ by France Bellisle each discuss the connection
between proper nutrition, particularly eating a healthy breakfast before school, and positive academic
performance. Bellisle͛s article seems to take a more detailed, scientific approach, stating the actual
effects that inadequate nutrition, particularly the effects of consuming too much sugar, has on the body
of children and adolescents, while Taras͛ arguments are more generalized, simply stating how different
studies have come to largely the same conclusion. Although both articles may take different approaches,
they both persuasively argue that poor nutrition can be directly related to poor academic performance
in children. This paper will examine the types of effects poor nutrition has on academic performance,
what types of breakfast programs have been initiated and their effects and the different types of studies
that have been done on the topic using examples from each article.

Although each article indicates that more studies need to be done, both authors seem to agree
that improper nutrition has negative effects on the bodies of children and adolescents, with each author
giving differing examples. Bellisle͛s article mainly focuses on the specific effects of the overconsumption
of sugar. Bellisle argues that, even in children whose diets contain an acceptable level of sugar
consumption, short term changes in glucose levels can significantly affect brain function. One researcher
found that the incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is higher in children who have a high
sugar diet and that the elimination of sugar from these children͛s diet was correlated with improved
behaviour. Bellisle therefore states that this and other studies have suggested that sugar may be a major
cause of hyperactivity. Although Taras͛ article does not deal specifically with the issue of sugar
consumption, he states that eating a nutritious breakfast has clear positive short-term effects on
student performance. Specifically, he states that studies found improved functions in ͞verbal fluency,
arithmetic, tests of attention, memory, creativity, physical ability, and general tests of academic
achievement͟. He also points out that many studies conducted in the United States found that
͞improper diet was related to significantly poorer student understanding, decreased school attendance
or reduced academic achievement͟.

To combat the potential negative effects of poor nutrition, several breakfast programs have
been initiated in schools across the world. Taras͛ article largely argues that breakfast programs are a
necessity and that they have an undeniably positive effect on student performance. According to Taras͛
article, studies have shown that the availability of breakfast programs at school led to increased class
attendance and that students were more likely to go to school. Also, his article indicates that the
availability of school breakfast programs decreases laziness in students. Bellisle seems to agree on the
importance of eating breakfast, stating that studies have shown that children who do not eat breakfast
before going to school often do not have enough energy to meet the demands of school life. However,
he also points out that some breakfast programs initiated in parts of the developing and industrialized
world may actually worsen already existing weight problems. He states that this is a result of some
children eating breakfast twice in the morning, once at home and once at school, doubling the
consumption of calories for these students.
 While these two articles seem to make it clear that poor overall nutrition and skipping breakfast
lead to poor academic performance, it is important to consider what studies have been done and what
studies are being done to confirm these results and if there is an overall consensus on the issue. Taras
states that representatives from several federal departments and nongovernmental organizations on
the National Coordinating Comittee on School Health and Safety are working to improve awareness of
the importance of child health and school performance and that while parents, educators and health
professionals have noted the connection between the two for a long time, inadequate long term
research has been done to explore the link. Taras argues that understanding the evidence between
nutrition and the ability to learn is a clear first step to developing the necessary programs and policies.
Bellisle also notes that educators have been a long time proponent of the idea that proper nutrition is
necessary for proper learning. He also states that although it is ͞undeniable͟ that a proper diet is
important for the development of social behaviour and academic performance, more research clearly
needs to be none and that ͞many studies show no relation between eating breakfast and academic
achievement͟.

Essentially, I believe what can be taken from these two articles is that while there is a clear
connection between nutrition and academic performance, more long-term research needs to be done to
determine exactly how, to what degree and why diet and learning are linked. It is clear that skipping
breakfast, poor nutrition and the overconsumption of sugar leads to hyperactivity, poor behaviour and
attendance and impaired learning ability. Breakfast programs may be successful in increasing
attendance and decreasing laziness, however, steps should be taken to ensure that these programs are
instituted correctly and that children are not gaining weight as a result. In terms of future research, it
may be positive to focus more on ways of providing education to the parents on this topic so that they
can tailor the breakfast they make more specifically to their own children and also to determine which
foods and in what quantities are most beneficial to students.

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Bellisle, France. ͞Effects of diet on behaviour and cognition in children.͟ c
 

  
 
92, supplement 2 (2004): S227-S232.

Taras, Howard. ͞Nutrition and Student Performance at School.͟ c


   
  75, number
6 (2005): 199-213.