Nutritional Habits in Relation to Over Weight, Health Status and Scholastic Achievement Among a Group of Egyptian Private Schools Children

Background: Changes in dietary habits with the rapid social and economic changes taking place allover the world resulted in increased incidence of obesity, health, behavioral and cognitive problems, which were reflected on the scholastic achievement. This study has been performed on a group of Egyptian school children to detect the nowadays nutritional habits and its correlation with overweight, health status and scholastic achievement. The study has been performed on students form three middle-high class private language schools. Three stages has been included 5th primary, 2nd preparatory and 1st secondary. Each student filled a questionnaire that included items to assess nutritional habits, scholastic achievement and health status. A clinical examination and anthropometric measures have been performed. Results: In general breakfast, whole wheat bread, milk and vegetables intake are inadequate. The habit of eating while watching TV is prevalent among 85% of all students. Nonhealthy snacks are consumed by more than 70% of the students reaching its maximum among secondary stage boys (99%). Over weight incidence is high among all groups reaching its maximum among boys of secondary stage 40%. Girls compared to boys showed better scholastic achievement, and better nutritional habits. Lack of concentration, feeling lonely, forgetting and day dreams affecting scholastic achievement is a threatening and alarming observation that reaches its peak among the preparatory stage students both boys and girls. Incidence of chest pain or difficulty in taking full breath, dizziness, pallor and facial white spots were recorded among all groups but gets less frequent with age. Sleeping hours and quality of sleep is inadequate among the secondary stage students. Healthy nutritional habits are inversely correlated to over weight (p 0.05) and health problems p 0.05. It is directly correlated to positive scholastic achievement (p 0.01). Scholastic achievement was inversely correlated to health problems (p 0.05), no significant correlation with over weight was detected. Conclusion: The importance of healthy nutritional habits and its effect on body weight, health status and scholastic achievement is confirmed. A national nutritional education program is highly recommended for students and their parents as a correcting and protective strategy for health and scholastic problems resulting from the prevailing unhealthy nutritional habits.