Instructor Kübra Şahin from the Nutrition and Dietetics Department of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences made evaluations regarding the effects of nutrition on physical and cognitive development in school-aged children.
Nutrition doesn't only affect height and weight gain
Instructor Kübra Şahin stated that nutrition during childhood should not be evaluated solely based on physical growth, saying, “During childhood, nutrition is not just a factor supporting an increase in height and body weight. Brain development, cognitive functions, attention, memory, and learning processes are also affected by adequate and balanced nutrition. Prolonged inadequate or unbalanced nutrition in a child can be associated with fatigue, lack of concentration, and negative impacts on cognitive performance.”
Şahin noted that adequate and balanced nutrition contributes to the formation of the necessary infrastructure for a child to learn, adding, “Therefore, adequate and balanced nutrition contributes to creating the physical and cognitive foundation required for learning. The World Health Organization also emphasizes the importance of healthy eating during childhood for cognitive development, in addition to growth and development.”
Not just having breakfast, but its content is also important
Instructor Kübra Şahin stated that going to school without having breakfast can negatively affect academic performance in some children, saying, “Breakfast is an important meal for a child to start the day after a night-long fast. Skipping breakfast can lead to hunger, weakness, difficulty concentrating, and trouble focusing on lessons in some children. What is important here is not just “having breakfast,” but the content of the breakfast. An ideal breakfast can include a protein source, a whole-grain carbohydrate source, vegetables or fruit, and an appropriate dairy product. For example; alongside a protein source like eggs, cheese, or yogurt, whole-wheat bread, oats, or another whole-grain product; vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers, and fruit can be preferred. Water is also an important part of breakfast.”
What to put in a lunchbox?
Instructor Kübra Şahin said that snacks and meals consumed at school play an important role in children's daily nutrition, adding, “A cheese or egg sandwich prepared with whole-grain bread, alongside fruit and ayran; yogurt, oats, and fruit; cheese whole-grain toast and fruit are among the options that can be prepared. Packaged foods, as they contain high amounts of sugar, salt, or saturated fat, should not form the basis of daily nutrition. Regular consumption of sugary drinks, in particular, should be reduced. Sugary beverages are known to be associated with excessive energy intake and an increased risk of overweight in children. The child’s primary drink should be water; options like milk or ayran should also be included in their daily diet.”
The food environment at school can affect obesity risk
Instructor Kübra Şahin stated that childhood obesity cannot be attributed to a single cause, saying, “Obesity is a multi-factorial condition where nutrition, physical activity, sleep, genetic predisposition, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic factors converge. However, as school-aged children spend a significant part of the day at school, the food and beverages they can access at school become important. Sugary drinks, energy-dense snacks, and frequently consumed high-calorie products can increase total energy intake and contribute to the establishment of unhealthy eating habits, leading to health problems such as obesity and insulin resistance.”
Criticizing a child’s weight can have an adverse effect
Instructor Kübra Şahin pointed out that the language used when trying to instill healthy eating habits is as important as food choices, saying, “Constantly bringing up a child's weight, comparing them to other children, and using phrases like ‘You are fat,’ ‘You eat too much,’ ‘If you eat this, you will gain weight,’ is not the right approach to developing healthy eating behavior. During childhood, eating behavior is shaped not only by hunger and satiety but also by emotions, social environment, family attitudes, and the child's relationship with their own body.”
Do not categorize foods as “good-bad” or “forbidden-allowed”
Şahin stated that sharply categorizing foods can make it difficult to establish a healthy eating relationship in children, saying, “Instead of sharply separating foods into ‘good-bad’ or ‘forbidden-allowed,’ it would be more appropriate to make healthy choices a natural part of daily life. For example, instead of saying ‘Don't eat this, you'll gain weight,’ one can say, ‘Our body needs different nutrients to be strong.’ Parents' own eating behaviors are also a strong model for the child.”
Healthy eating is not solely the family's responsibility
Şahin pointed out that school canteens and school meals have a significant impact on children's nutritional preferences, saying, “School is an extremely important environment in shaping a child’s eating habits. Children spend a significant part of their day at school, not just at home. Therefore, what products are available in the school canteen, which foods are more easily accessible, the content of school meals, and even how foods are presented can influence a child's choices.”
Family, school, and public must act together
Emphasizing that creating healthy eating habits in children requires a holistic approach, Şahin concluded by saying, “It is not right to place the responsibility for healthy eating solely on the family. Family, school, and public must act together. While the family supports healthy eating habits at home, the school must also facilitate children's access to healthy options. It is important for public policies to establish standards that will make the food and beverage environment in schools healthy and to monitor their implementation. The goal here should not be to constantly tell children ‘what not to eat,’ but rather to make healthy choices an easier and more accessible option for the child.”
