Experts point out that children's eating habits change when they start school, particularly due to peer interaction, and say that school meal services should aim to support children's development and instill healthy eating habits. Nutritionist Funda Tuncer, who states that skipping meals is a very common eating behavior among school children, said, "The most commonly skipped meal among school children is breakfast, but it is also reported that students who go to school in the afternoon skip lunch." Tuncer noted that when meals are skipped, especially breakfast, children experience low concentration and perception, short attention spans, and learning difficulties, and some also report problems such as headaches and dizziness.
Funda Tuncer, Lecturer at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Üsküdar University, evaluated children's eating habits during the school period.
Nutrition is a fundamental factor in children's mental development
Tuncer stated that obesity, eating disorders, and unhealthy eating habits are seen in more than 100 million children during childhood, and that the negative effects of this situation on physical and psychosocial health are a cause for concern. "Nutrition is not only one of the important factors for growth and development and for maintaining a healthy life in later stages of life, but it is also a fundamental factor for children's mental development and academic success."
Children's habits change when they start school
Noting that children's eating habits in the preschool period develop as a reflection of their family's eating habits, Tuncer said, "However, when children start school, these habits are reshaped by factors such as peer interaction, freedom of food choice, and the nutrition services provided by the school. To this extent, skipping meals or eating irregularly, choosing foods with high fat and sugar content that are considered unhealthy, and mistakes in preparing, cooking, or storing food occur. To address these issues, it is important for teachers at school, as well as families and children, to be aware of healthy food choices. In addition, foods sold at school should be prepared using healthy methods, and there should be regulations regarding the sale of foods high in fat and sugar," he said.
Families should pay attention to the quality of lunch
Explaining that the food service in schools should aim to support children's development and instill healthy eating habits, Tuncer continued:
"It is particularly important to improve the quality of children's nutrition and ensure variety in foods. Therefore, if lunch services are provided for children, families should pay attention to the quality of these services. School cafeterias should also be evaluated to this extent. Since the presence of unhealthy foods will greatly affect children's food choices, healthy foods should be available and the sale of unhealthy foods should be avoided as much as possible."
What should be included in a lunchbox?
Tuncer also addressed what families should do when meal services are not available at schools, stated that families should add healthy foods to the lunchbox using appropriate cooking and storage techniques at home, and that including food groups that children need to consume daily, such as vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and whole grains, in the lunchbox to ensure food variety will contribute to children's adequate and balanced nutrition.
Tuncer added that snacks prepared for between-meal times should also be diversified to the same extent with whole grain products, oily seeds, and fruits, prepared in a way that children will enjoy.
Skipping meals leads to problems such as headaches and dizziness
"Skipping meals is a very common eating behavior among school children. This behavior makes it difficult to meet the body's nutritional needs through other meals and leads to malnutrition," said Tuncer, continuing:
"The most commonly
skipped meal among school children is breakfast, but it is reported that students who attend school in the afternoon also skip lunch. The breakfast meal is important for providing energy for mental processes such as learning and concentration in children who go to school in the morning, as it follows a 10-12 hour period of fasting since the previous meal. When meals are skipped, and especially when children skip breakfast, it is reported that their concentration and perception are low, their attention span is short, they have difficulty learning, and some of them experience problems such as headaches and dizziness."
Why do children skip meals?
Pointing out the reasons for skipping meals, Tuncer said:
"Reasons
for skipping meals include lack of time, lack of appetite, or fear of being late. In this context, in order to prevent skipping meals, it would be appropriate to prepare the child's meals in advance or choose healthy foods that can be prepared and consumed quickly. In cases of lack of appetite or time constraints, it would be beneficial for the child to carry this meal with them and consume it as soon as possible."
Tuncer also mentioned that in order to prevent skipping meals, schools have recently started offering students various meal options and opportunities. "In this context, in addition to the meal service provided at schools, students are given the opportunity to purchase meals at school so that they can obtain food alternatives. Furthermore, raising awareness about the consequences of skipping meals and the importance of meal consumption will help resolve this issue."
Unhealthy foods are also available in school cafeterias
Explaining what factors influence healthy eating among school-age children, Tuncer said, "The absence of unhealthy foods in cafeterias and dining halls responsible for school meal services will provide a significant advantage in terms of healthy eating. Indeed, national efforts are underway in this regard. School administrations should also address this issue with diligence. However, unhealthy food alternatives are still available alongside healthy foods, especially in cafeterias. In this context, teachers, children themselves, and their families should be aware of food choices. Nutrition education programs should be organized in schools to develop this awareness. It is not sufficient for nutrition education in schools to cover only the school curriculum."
Noting that nutrition education programs should also address cooperation with families and the appropriate organization of the school environment (canteen, cafeteria), Tuncer concluded his remarks as follows:
"For example, by displaying pictures and tables with interesting facts about healthy food choices in certain areas of the school, especially where food services are provided, students can be encouraged to make healthier choices. Families also play a significant role in ensuring children's healthy food selection behavior. If children see in a practical way within the family environment why they should or should not choose certain foods, this will positively contribute to their behavior regarding healthy food selection."