Arlene

B. Daro EDH 170 Paper 1

2014-55735 January 29, 2017


The California Healthy Students Research Project states that student health and well-being are
vital to academic results. New research shows that the health of Californias students has a direct
impact on dropout rates, attendance, academic performance and school revenues. The stakes
are high, and current health indicators raise serious concerns. Student health issues stand in the
way of our ability to reach achievement goals set by the stateand limit Californias economic
and cultural prosperity.
- The California Healthy Students Research Project, 2011

For a country to be able to thrive, grow, and compete in global economy depends on how each
and everyone prepare the new generation. This basically deals with with how the young minds
are trained to be tomorrows big brains.

According to The California Healthy Students Research Project (2011), a student can be evaluated
if he/she is healthy through his/her physical and emotional health, with good nutrition, safety
and a sense of personal belonging. With him/her being at the right condition, he/she is more
likely to attend school and be ready to learn. It is also stated that there is a powerful connection
between poor health and academic failure. Health issues and inadequate school environments
affect students attendance, grades, and ability to learn.

Another important aspect that connects a students health to his/her academics is that the
education reform initiatives have focused on increasing academic rigor and relevance. Yes, these
efforts may lead to increased student achievement, but the absolute academic performance and
graduation rates of California students remain low (The California Healthy Students Research
Project, 2011). The education reform lacks focus on student well-being.

California leaders have seen the problem, and they are working on it. The good news is that they
can do immediate actions working largely with current budgets at the state, local, district, and
school levels- for additional support in a students health and academic achievement (The
California Healthy Students Research Project, 2011). Solutions involve improving school
environments and the systems that deliver student support services.

I think that the actions that they have been doing can be applicable to the Philippines. We have
different programs that cater to the academic vigor that each student need, and as what I have
observed, there are efforts to make each school a safe and healthy environment and is conducive
for learning. The main concern is that we lack funds allotted for health programs of the students
countrywide. I think that education and health care should be given utmost importance because
people now have to understand that they have to invest in the future generations since they will
be the ones who will run the world in 20 years. We dont need a world that holds back. We need
a world that keeps on moving forward, progressing.
Ensuring all students have healthy basicssafe schools, physical activity, access to care,
nutritious food and meaningful relationships is everyones business. Policymakers, educators,
health providers, parents, and students must all play a role (The California Healthy Students
Research Project, 2011).

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reported about Health and
Academic Achievement. Schools, health agencies, parents, and communities share a common
goal of supporting the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic
achievement of children and adolescents. Evidence shows that the health of students is linked to
their academic achievement, so by working together, we can ensure that young people are
healthy and ready to learn. Public health and education professionals can use this resource to
share the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic achievement to
engage stakeholders in working together to support healthy school environments.

- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2014

Being able to unite for a cause which benefits the new generation is a great avenue for us to
show them that we trust and support them in their endeavors. A way that I can think of is for us
to give them assurance that they will be taken care of in their schools.

The research shows that certain factors in a school environment can positively influence the
health of students and improve academic achievement. These include access to healthy foods
and opportunities to stay physically active. In simpler terms, a student must be able to have a
balanced diet and proper exercise for him/her to be considered healthy.

Pieces of evidence show how dietary behaviors affect academic achievement. First, student
participation in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) School Breakfast Program
(SBP) is associated with increased academic grades and standardized test scores, reduced
absenteeism, and improved cognitive performance (memory) (Bradley, B. & Green, AC., 2013).
Second, skipping breakfast is associated with decreased cognitive performance (alertness,
memory, problem solving) among students (Pollitt, E. & Mathews, R., 1998). Third, deficits of
specific nutrients (vitamins A, B6, B12, C, iron, zinc, and calcium) are associated with lower grades
and higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness among students (Kleinman, RE., Hall, S., Green, H.,
et al., 2002).

There are also evidence presented in the journal which shows how physical activity and academic
achievement are related. First, participation in extracurricular physical activities such as
interscholastic sports has been associated with higher grade point averages (GPAs), lower drop-
out rates, and fewer disciplinary problems among students (Yin, Z., Moore, JB., 2004). Second,
brief classroom physical activity breaks (5-10 minutes) are associated with improved cognitive
performance (attention, concentration), classroom behavior (on-task behavior), and educational
outcomes (e.g., standardized test scores, reading literacy scores, math fluency scores) among
students (Maeda, JK., Randall, LM., 2003). Third, students who are physically active tend to have
better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance (memory), and classroom behavior
(Shephard, RJ., 1996).

The messages that the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
want you to remember are that (1) healthy students are better learners, (2) schools can influence
eating and physical activity behaviors, (3) healthy, successful students help build strong
communities, and (4) all students deserve the opportunity to be healthy and successful.

It is applicable to the Philippine context because (1) certain schools with the help of their local
government units give feeding programs especially in public schools, and (2) most schools, if not
all, promote and sell only nutritious foods, doing away with the soft drinks and chips for snack
times. Also, there are sports programs which aim to develop and enhance the skills of students
and encourage them to live an active lifestyle. I can see that these efforts will go a long way, but
these needs us government, school administrators, teachers, parents, friends, and co-students-
to set it forward.

Sources:

Bradley, B, Green, AC. Do Health and EducationAgencies in the United States Share
Responsibility for Academic Achievement and Health? A Review of 25 years of Evidence About
the Relationship of Adolescents Academic Achievement and Health Behaviors, Journal of
Adolescent Health. 2013; 52(5):523532.

Kleinman RE, Hall S, Green H, Korzec-Ramirez D, Patton K, Pagano, ME, Murphy JM. Diet,
breakfast, and academic performance in children. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism.
2002;46(suppl 1):2430.

Maeda JK, Randall LM. Can academic success come from ve minutes of physical activity? Brock
Education. 2003;13(1):1422.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2014, May). Health and
Academic Achievement. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-
achievement.pdf

Pollitt E, Mathews R. Breakfast and cognition: an integrative summary. American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition. 1998; 67(4), 804S813S.

Shephard RJ. Habitual physical activity and academic performance. Nutrition Reviews.
1996;54(4 pt 2):S326.

The California Healthy Students Research Project. (2011). Student Health & Well-Being are Vital
to Academic Results. Retrieved from http://www.attendanceworks.org/wordpress/wp-
content/uploads/2011/03/Student_Health_Brief_23March20111.pdf

Yin Z, Moore JB. Reexamining the role of interscholastic sport participation in education.
Psychology Reports. 2004; 94:14471454.