Eugene Absolom, the director of the Tiger Brands Foundation, which provides breakfast to schools in underprivileged areas across South Africa, explains why children should still be eating breakfast over the school holidays
There are integral parts to a child’s development, taught to most even before they start walking: brush your teeth twice a day, wash your hands after going to the toilet and, perhaps most importantly, eat a minimum of three nutritious meals a day.
However, often as children grow up, meal times morph into grabbing a quick bite of whatever is available first, while on the fly, as new tasks and adventures beckon and parents become busy. And at the same time more and more fast food establishments are booming around our communities.
Yet for some it’s less an issue of options than just making do with what’s available, and sometimes that is not enough.
Some children miss meals, breakfast most frequently, a meal often treated haphazardly within the nutrition family. When remembered, sugary concoctions disguised as food in the morning are served to children as a meal. High in all things but nutrition, children may experience a visible surge in energy but with very little satiety or benefit.
Meals of this nature place all children in the same boat, those who went without breakfast and those who consumed a meal disguised as breakfast. Whatever the reason, it has become the norm for many school-going learners to answer their teachers with growling stomachs as they attempt to set about the day’s tasks.
This is unfortunate, given the important role played by breakfast in a child’s life and cognitive engagement, which cannot be overemphasised.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, children who eat a healthy breakfast perform better at school, which boosts their attention, memory and problem-solving skills.
Another positive result is on school attendance, with children who consume a good breakfast showing less hyperactivity and disruptive behaviour in class. A research study published in the International Journal of Educational Development also found that breakfast had a positive impact on the health outcomes of the learners.
The reason behind this could be credited to the immediate availability of energy and nutrients to perform tasks, coupled with the long-term effects on growth and brain development.
In a 2013 study, published by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information and titled “The effects of breakfast on behaviour and academic performance in children and adolescents”, breakfast consumption is associated with positive outcomes for diet quality, micronutrient intake and weight status.
According to the study, breakfast has been suggested to positively affect learning in children in terms of behaviour, cognitive and school performance.
The research considered the effects of breakfast in different populations, including undernourished or well-nourished children and adolescents from differing socioeconomic status backgrounds.
The benefits of a healthy breakfast far enhance those received in the classroom.
Supporting the National Nutrition Week 2018 under the theme “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, the department of health shared further benefits.
People who eat a regular healthy breakfast on most days of the week are generally more active and follow a healthier lifestyle as this is a meal which provides essential nutrients -- such as fibre, vitamins and minerals -- with those who get into this habit prone to making healthier food choices throughout the day.
It helps maintain a healthy body weight and also assists to combat lifestyle diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure.Of most concern to us is what happens to the learners from our programme during school holidays who may be unable to eat three meals a day. Do they end up sacrificing breakfast?
A healthy breakfast need not be bacon and eggs and a selection of fruits and dairy products. A nutritious morning meal should comprise one minimally processed fortified starchy food, such as maize porridge.
The selected porridge or cereal should come with added vitamins and minerals as this will provide the children with essential micronutrients to kick-start the day and aid in the body’s energy need.
Any choice of nutritious cereal or porridge could be combined with any extras, rich in protein, that are available in the home.
This festive season, while learners get a much-deserved break from their book,s please ensure this does not constitute a break from consuming healthy, nutritious breakfasts as well.
After all, scientists estimate that it takes a minimum of 21 days to learn a habit, whether positive or negative. Holidays should not be seasons in which children unlearn the good nutrition habits learnt throughout the school year.