Nutrition

Healthy nutrition is a cornerstone of our program and essential for children’s overall health, self-confidence, and performance and school. The eating habits children adopt become the habits they maintain as adolescents and adults, so instilling knowledge, good habits, and a positive relationship with food at an early age is crucial.

Childhood obesity is a serious and growing problem in America that has negative effects on many aspects of a child’s life, including their self-confidence, school performance, and school attendance. Since 1980 the rate of childhood obesity has increased from 6.1% to 19.3%; a staggering 216% increase, according to the CDC. What’s interesting is that the studies on total caloric intake indicate that the amount of calories children are eating has remained relatively stable during that time, however, where they get their calories from has shifted away from whole foods to ultra-processed foods high in sugar, preservatives, and artificial dyes that have been linked to a myriad of health, behavioral, and cognitive function issues.

Poor nutrition and lack of exercise is at the root of the childhood obesity epidemic. But, weight gain isn’t the only consequence of a poor diet high in sugary, processed foods that are deficient in nutrients, yet high in calories.

One study published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that children who were overweight or obese were more likely to experience lower self-esteem and poor body image compared to their peers of healthy weight. This lack of confidence can lead to lower social skills and decrease participation in school activities, which can further exacerbate feelings of isolation and low self-esteem.

Obesity can also impact children’s attendance at school. According to a study published in the Journal of School Health, children who are obese are more likely to miss school due to illness compared to their peers of a healthy weight. In addition, obese children may experience more social isolation and bullying, which has been shown to increase absenteeism and decrease participation in school activities. By contrast several studies have shown that children who consume healthier diets consisting of whole foods, like fruit, vegetables, and quality animal proteins, and less processed foods had significantly fewer absences, higher self confidence, and better performance in school.
Our approach is to empower the children in our program with knowledge about healthy nutrition. Then we support them with practical exposure to healthy foods so the children can have an experience by which to anchor their understanding.

We go beyond calorie theory because that’s a relatively low level conversation about nutrition. We emphasize food quality and the importance of nutrient density. As many as 61% of American school children are deficient in Vitamin D, which is actually an important hormone precursor that’s essential for calcium synthesis and sex hormone function. As many as 43% are deficient in Calcium and 50% deficient in Magnesium. These minerals are essential for virtually all metabolic processes. Being deficient in these essential nutrients negatively impacts both physical and mental health and cognitive performance.

In totality the research on childhood nutrition is clear. Prioritizing whole foods in a child’s diet is crucial for overall health, self-confidence, and academic performance, which are the foundations of how they transition into successful, capable, and happy adults.