Fit kids who eat well are better students, study finds

by Rob Peters | June 9, 2008 at 12:18 pm | 3582 views | 78 comments

Yep, makes sense to me. As with most things, quality input yields better output.

When a quarter-million Ontario school children were prepping for last week's province-wide tests in the "3 Rs," they may have overlooked a surprising study tool.

The workout.

New Ontario research shows schools that push fitness and nutrition have watched their standardized scores rise by as much as 50 per cent over two years in Grade 3 reading and 39 per cent in Grade 3 math – outscoring other schools in similar neighbourhoods by about eight points across all three subjects.

A landmark study of 33 Ontario schools that are part of a health drive called Living Schools – where students exercise each day, play extra sports and are discouraged from eating junk food – saw overall scores climb by 18 per cent over two years in reading, writing and math, compared to about 4 per cent for similar schools not in the provincially funded program.

Principals also said there were fewer fights and better attendance.

The small homegrown study echoes a growing body of international research that says daily physical activity – which boosts chemicals in the brain such as endorphins and norepinephrine (the fuel behind attention span) and stimulates the hippocampus part of the brain (the key to memory) and also boosts a sense of belonging at school – can cut stress, improve a child's mood and sharpen learning skills.

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jadefrog01

Alyssa with her meal of choice: Chicken, steak, corn on the cob, salad, potatoes and tomatoes.

jadefrog01 has contributed a photo to this story.

Ottmar H.

Brunch in Rostock, Germany.

Ottmar H. has contributed a photo to this story.

Jennerator

Delicious go-to salad if you want to feel healthy.

Jennerator has contributed a photo to this story.

Jemnifur

Raw Meal of fresh squeezed juices and a sprouted bread wrap with raw faux tuna on the inside!

Jemnifur has contributed a photo to this story.

liamssoft
good stuff:

Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff.

acrawford

These things RAWK!!! They taste just like carrot cake but they're actually healthy, very little oil, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, lots of carrots. This is just about my favorite thing that Lauren makes.

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citybornheart

Aim for a balance. As the Valedictorian of my Class of 2008 I might be a vivid example; healthy body, mind and soul.

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Maireid Sullivan
good stuff:

Rob Peters, I like this story.

Definitely good stuff!

We are what we eat!...and most of the poisons are hidden in the "E" numbers.

In 1995 the US Agriculture Dept. stated that US agricultural lands were 95% depleted of minerals.

A terrific pocket sized book that everyone should have: The Chemical Maze.

cheguthamrin

Photo taken here while having tea at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

With all these hoo-haa about healthy living, healthy lifestyle, sometimes I wonder how can we ever start off when the greens and fruits offered on the shelves are at sky high prices? Its a simple meal, maybe perhaps simple enough to be prepared at home, but when it comes to the food outlets; it could be a turn off for those who cant afford; or who rather be getting some junk at a fraction of the price.

Must it really cost a lot for a simple healthy diet?

cheguthamrin has contributed a photo to this story.

rcano1979

My husband is always trying to eat more healthy foods, and in turn, getting me to do the same. I've always loved vegetables (the often-heard parental phrase of "Eat your vegetables" was never heard in my house growing up: in fact, my sister and I used to fight over who gets the last morsel of broccoli) and try to eat them as much as I can during the week.
This particular photo is of a recipe that my husband made about 2 weeks ago, called "Vegetable Goulash". The recipe came from a book called "175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics" by Judith Finlayson; a Christmas gift to me from my then-fiancee, in 2006...5 months before our wedding.
This is just a vegetable version of a traditionally meat-filled meal. If you're serious about incorporating vegetables in your diet, try converting certain meat recipes into veggies.
If you want the recipe, you can A: contact me through flickr.com (my user name is the same) or B: you can get the book at your nearest Borders or Barnes & Noble.

rcano1979 has contributed a photo to this story.

agnestejada

grilled lamb salad

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Priki

Just a simple plate made up of salad and chicken - and it was delicious, too! :)

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j_wijnands

I went out to dinner in Belgium with a friend. She doesn't eat meat or wheat. She was quite surprised that the cook came up with this instead of an omelet.

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LladyYas

Tilapia, topped with coconut mango sauce and baked in a foil pocket; served over asian sesame ginger dressed baby greens with sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes as garnish

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hafiizyahya

This is a picture of raw roots, which was taken in korea. I believed korean people eat this root, cooked in several different ways and it's healthy.

One of the traditional food of korean, known as kimchi, is listed among the top five healthiest food on earth by US magazine Health!


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sakuraboy

We made this dessert (granita) to try and be healthy for my father. It is basically fruit (raspberry and lemon), sugar and water. No fat, no cholesterol, but lots of taste!

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Fruttadi

My husband and I formed a good team in the kitchen. We like to cook and prepare different recipes every day.
Always using the ingredients of our countries Argentina and Puerto Rico.
This recipe is easy to prepare and healthy

Ingredients
salt and pepper to taste
minced garlic
tomatoes slices
slices of green,red and yellow bell peppers
chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon butter

Put the fish on top of aluminum foil
add ingredients
put the teaspoon of butter over all ingredients and close the paper
Use foil to wrap the salmon and put on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes
Bon appetti! Buen Provecho!

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a2b creative

This photo was taken in borough market, london. To see more of my shots take a look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/a2bcreative/ you can get in touch at andy@a2bcreative.com

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raynie_dai

I have always been daunted by the idea of preparing and eating only healthy food. Cookbooks, and t.v. health mavens made it seem so ritualistic, scientific, and difficult. One day I realized that it was just a matter of reading labels and substitution. Throw some organic berries in a bowl, make sure your juice is just juice, no corn syrup or other additives, and choose a healthy cereal. I also learned that organic cereals do not have to taste like cardboard. Pictured here is my favorite, Kashi Blueberry. Healthy breakfast with a prep-time of about 3 min. Who could complain about that?

raynie_dai has contributed a photo to this story.

gordypix

Bridget and myself were shopping in Livingstone, Zambia for fresh vegetables for dinner. The local supermarket didn't have the fresh quality she was looking for so we headed to the female street sellers who had just what she was after. For prices probably five times cheaper than we might pay in the UK we got the most tasty fresh ingredients and healthy to boot...!

gordypix has contributed a photo to this story.

A.S.Martinelli

Hamburgers and fries have long been a dinner delight in American homes, and just over the last few decades more and more people are beginning to see a change in the youth we have in this country. Girls and boys are developing much younger than they ever used, and more people are being diagnosed with heart disease and diabetes. Could there be a few added ingredients in our meat today that weren't there yesterday?

A.S.Martinelli has contributed a photo to this story.

vidalia_11

Raspberry Oat Bar from Seedling Organic Catering, http://seedlingcatering.com

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Tlemetry

All things in moderation. Healthy eating isn't about cutting all the good stuff from the diet. but portion control and healthier choices.

Tlemetry has contributed a photo to this story.

newwavegurly

Miso marinated cod with portobellos stuffed with spinach and feta. Homemade, recipe from my own mind.

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pillowsss

When I went away to college, my mom took care to teach me how to cook some simple and nutritious meals so that I wouldn't die of malnutrition while there. This was one of the recipes, and a personal favorite of mine for the easiness and nutritional value.

CHOP SUEY(**)

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Bean sprouts
Peeled, clean and thawed medium shrimp
Broccoli, in small chunks, without stems
Red peppers, sliced
Celery, sliced
Soy sauce to taste

Directions:

In a wide pan or skillet, add the vegetable oil and simmer the celery and shrimp for five minutes. Then, add a cup or two of water (depending on the quantities used, which are up to you...I love bean sprouts so I add a lot of those, and less of the other veggies) and then add the rest of the ingredients, including a the soy sauce. I would recommend adding the soy sauce gradually, since adding too much can make the dish too salty and inedible. You can always add more at the end if you think you didn't add enough. Mix the contents well. Next, cover the pan/skillet, and let cook at low fire, stirring occasionally until all the vegetables are ready, which should take 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

**This recipe is probably not very authentic Chinese, but it's simple to make and very light and healthy. It does the trick for me.

Please visit my Flickr food album for more ideas and more recipes to come: http://flickr.com/photos/pillowsss/sets/72157602283551525/

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OSUoarsman
good stuff:

Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff. And great photography choices!

lil.D

It was always hard to me to start dieting, I felt like diet food is just like hospital food (no taste) ,,, This time I decided to go for my diet tell I reach my target weight, to cook myself, to be creative in ingredients, some small additions, and having a very healthy food with a very nice taste ... after starting cooking myself, I enjoyed being in a diet, enjoyed eating heathy food  ... you can always have yummy healthy food :) ... just try to cook by urself ..

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mrlee_1979

Orenge and grapefruit, looking scrummy!

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yodogimacat

I try to eat a lot of fresh vegetables and buy as many of them as I can locally and organically... which can be a bit of a stretch on a student budget. It makes a really big difference in the way I feel, though. I have a lot more energy and feel more ready to face all the different challenges that young people do in a given day.

yodogimacat has contributed a photo to this story.

Tinty Friday

This is the final Chef plating for our Contemporary Foods class which is all natural foods, sodium conscious, no trans fats. I attend the California Culinary Academy and this photo was a sample of one days work. Lots of soy products, whole grains and fresh vegetables. One of my favorite classes, I was surprised how good everything tasted. It motivated me to present myself as an organic, healthy chef who makes the "non popular" foods extremely tasty.

Tinty Friday has contributed a photo to this story.

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June 9, 2008 at 12:18 pm by Rob Peters, 3582 views, 78 comments

Crowd Power

liamssoft
First Flagged at 4:06 PM, Jun 9, 2008 by liamssoft
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