Learning has been always a topic that captured people’s interest. Particularly, parents of children felt very concerned about how well their kids could do at school. However, many factors can influence the way a child learns. Following a proper diet could be considered one of these factors that may determine the process of learning in childhood. According to psychologists, learning is defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior, knowledge, capability, or attitude that is acquired through experience and cannot be attributed to illness, injury or maturation (Samuel E. Wood, Ellen Green Wood & Denise Boyd). This definition gives a feedback about how broad, and interesting this concept of learning is. Yet many researchers have felt the necessity to dedicate part of their time conducting researches on the topic of learning, and particularly the effect that diet could have on childhood learning learning. One study showed that unhealthy food habits tracked during childhood period have a tremendous impact on behavior and cognition (Ester F.C. Sleddens, Willemieke Kroeze, Elizabeth Velema, Laura M Bolten, Pam J. Kaspers, Johannes Brug, & Stef PJ Kremers). Another study conducted on determining whether there is a relation between diet quality and mental health in adolescent, one’s found evidences that unhealthy dietary has a relationship with poor mental health in children and adolescent. When the researchers reverse the study which means testing children and adolescent, those have eaten good food, they found an opposite result. They observed that the better the quality of food children eat, the better they will be mentally (Adrienne O’Neil, Shae E. Quirk, Sharon L. Brennan, Lana J. Williams, Julie A. Pasco, Michael Berk, & Felice N. Jacka). On top of this, researchers also found that early life nutrition has produced an effect on children’s neurocognitive development. In fact, they demonstrated through their research that children who were low birth weight babies showed lower IQ and power language and reading skills (Diane Tomlinson, Heather Wilkinson & Heather Wilkinson). Moreover, depending on the dietary intake, children could develop serious diseases that could impair their learning ability. A study revealed that diets high in fat and sugar, and low in fruit, vegetables and fiber could provoke diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, risk for type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The study also demonstrated that in order to promote health and well-being, it is significant for children and adolescents to follow healthy diet (Arianna D McClain, Courtney Chappuis, Selena T Nguyen-Rodriguez, Amy L. Yaroch & Donna Spruijt-Metz). Researchers go even further in their studies, and found that pregnant women’s diet plays a significant role in their children ability to ability to learn, and their behavior. According to the study, during their pregnancy, women should choose carefully what they eat in order for children to development properly (Catherine Lucas, Karen E. Charlton & Heather Yeatman).

As we can see, there are many studies that have been conducted on the relationship that exist between childhood learning and diet. These studies certainly pinpoint the importance of the diet for children, and how it affects their behavior, learning and their physical health. Nevertheless, some works still need to be done in this field. For example, children usually do not feel comfortable when it comes to follow proper diet that can promote learning ability. They are more prone to other kind of food such as fast food, which can negatively impact their well-being. In fact, studies show that diet is good for learning, but they do not reveal what can make children motivate to follow diet. In order to fill out this gap, it is significantly important to conduct studies on what can help children develop a healthy eating habit. It is predicted that diet has a positive effect on children’s ability to learn. In my study, I will focus on how playing game could promote children to develop an attitude that will help them perceiving diet as a pleasurable attitude.

References

Brug, J., Kremers, S. P.J., Kohl, L.F.M., Kroeze, W., Kapers, P.J. (2015).Determinants of dietary behavior among youth: an umbrella review. BioMed Central journal. Doi: 10.1186/s12966-015-0164-x.

Lucas, C., Charlton, K. E., & Yeatman, H. (2014). Nutrition Advice During Pregnancy: Do Women Receive it and Can Health Professionals Provide it? Maternal and Child Health Journal Matern Child Health J, 18(10), 2465-2478.

O’Neil, A., Quirk, S. E., Housden, S., Brennan, S. L., Williams, L. J., Pasco, J. A., . . . Jacka, F. N. (2014). Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health, 104(10).

Tomlinson, D., Wilkinson, H., Wilkinson, P. (2009). Diet and Mental Health in Children. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 14(3), 148-155.

Trabulsi, J. C., & Mennella, J. A. (2012). Diet, sensitive periods in flavour learning, and growth. International Review of Psychiatry, 24(3), 219-230.

Wood, S. E., Wood, E. R., & Boyd, D. R. (2004). Mastering the world of psychology. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.