University of Maastricht
By Tristan Braakman·1 hour ago·Adapted: 5 minutes ago
© ANP RTL
Schoolchildren perform better in math if they eat a healthy lunch at school and exercise more. This is evident from a new study from Maastricht University. “We didn’t think the effect would be so big.”
For the study, primary school children in South Limburg received a healthy lunch and extra exercise lessons for four years. The results were quickly visible: after just one year, the children showed improved math performance.
“We were really surprised by the results: the children improved their arithmetic after a year and the effects continued,” says Professor Onno van Schayck of Maastricht University. “We expected a difference, but not so quickly and so clearly.”
Influence of healthy nutrition
Researchers studied data from previous research into the influence of a healthy diet and exercise. That research was conducted between 2015 and 2020 at eight primary schools with more than 2,200 students. At two schools, students received a healthy lunch and started exercising more. At two other schools they only started exercising more. And at four other schools everything remained the same.
It then became clear that the students with a good diet and more exercise became a lot healthier and had less belly fat. Now it turns out that they have also started to calculate better. The students’ performance was measured with arithmetic and language tests.
After just one year, the children who ate healthier and exercised more performed better on arithmetic tests than their peers at the other schools. And after four years, the healthy primary school students even did much better math than the students at the schools where everything remained the same.
No difference was seen in the language tests. But according to Van Schayck, this can be explained logically: “Language skills are partly developed at home. Children often practice words and sentences with their parents, but arithmetic is less often done together.”
Wheel of Five
Such a healthy lunch is now served at An d’r Put primary school in Landgraaf. “Very necessary,” says school director Marina Schmitz. “Children were regularly left without lunch, not enough food or a cold pizza slice in the lunch box. Of course, you can’t learn well with that.”
For a year now, students have been receiving a healthy buffet, largely composed of products from the Wheel of Five. “We offer various options: cucumber, radishes, whole wheat bread, egg and cheese. For sweet lovers we have apple syrup and jam, but no chocolate spread or chocolate sprinkles.”
Learning seems to go better with a nutritious lunch and extra exercise. “After lunch and recess, the children are really brighter, which has a positive impact on their school performance,” Schmitz explains. The costs for lunch and exercise classes are €1.75 per day per child. “Parents no longer have to do their own shopping for lunch. And support is available for those who find it difficult to pay.”
Professor Van Schayck believes it is important that more schools serve healthy lunches. That is why he calls on the cabinet to take action. The government has already allocated 135 million euros for school meals this year. “That is mainly about a full stomach and it is therefore important that the food is also healthy.”
After the autumn holidays, the lunch boxes need to be filled again. How do you do that as healthily as possible?
Healthy Lunches Make for Smarter Kids: Who Knew?
By Tristan Braakman · Adapted by Your Favorite Comedian Mashup
Math Performance Meets Nutritional Power-Up
Well, if you ever thought that the key to unlocking your child’s genius lay in some magic potion or a mysterious algebra app, hold onto your lunchboxes! A study from Maastricht University has just suggested that a healthy lunch and a bit of exercise might be what we’ve been missing. Who knew that carrots could be more effective than cramming those multiplication tables the night before?
The Surprising Study
Over four years, a bunch of primary school kiddos in South Limburg were treated to all the greens they could eat and some extra PE classes to boot — and boy, did it show! After just a year, they were crunching numbers like they were crunching… well, cucumbers!
Professor Onno van Schayck of Maastricht University said, “We didn’t think the effect would be so big.” Right? We thought it was just a fancy way of saying “Eat your vegetables, and you’ll grow up to be a rocket scientist!” But seriously, after a year, these pint-sized mathematicians were outdoing their peers who were munching on cold pizza and whatever mysterious leftovers magically appeared in their lunchboxes.
Healthy Lunches, Happy Kids
So, what’s on the menu? At An d’r Put primary school, it’s a “Wheel of Five” buffet! Think of it as master chef meets school cafeteria: whole wheat bread, radishes, and eggs, rather than frozen pizza and a sad-looking sandwich. And just to ensure that we don’t go completely off the rails, the school is skipping the chocolate sprinkles. Sorry, sweet tooth aficionados — you’ll have to find your sugar fix at home!
The Incredible Roll Call of Health
The students who were lucky enough to chow down on this wholesome fare showed less belly fat, better health, and of course, the all-important improved math scores. Language skills? Not so much. Why? Well, according to Professor Van Schayck, parents tend to focus on words and sentences at home. Apparently, arithmetic is not a dinner table conversation topic — who knew? “Hey, do you speak ‘numbers?’” might be better suited for a mathlete than a parent.
The Financial Impact
For just €1.75 a day per child, what a steal! Finally, parents can say goodbye to the daily “What should I give them for lunch?” panic. No more half-eaten sandwiches in the fridge or the dreaded cold pizza slice moldering away. Plus, there’s support for those who may find the cost a stretch — because apparently feeding kids nutritious food isn’t common sense everywhere!
Government, Are You Listening?
As luck would have it, the government has allocated a whopping 135 million euros for school meals this year. Professor Van Schayck is taking this opportunity to shout from the rooftops, “Let’s get some healthy food on those trays!” Because, let’s face it, a full stomach is great, but nothing says “future genius” quite like a hearty helping of broccoli.
The Bottom Line
So as we gaze into the future of education, let’s hope that school lunches evolve past the dreary brown paper bag filled with mystery leftovers. Nutritious food and movement may not only benefit maths but could also be the gateway to becoming the next Einstein! And perhaps, just perhaps, in a few years’ time, we’ll have a generation of children not asking “Why do I have to do maths?” but rather “What’s the square root of awesome?”
So remember folks: If you want your kids to ace their arithmetic tests, skip the chocolate sprinkles and invest in some carrots! At least then, we might not have to threaten them with “No dessert until you finish your homework!”
And there you have it — a healthy belly equals a sharper mind! Who knew? Let’s serve up some nutritious goodness, toss in some exercise, and watch those kids blossom into the next generation of math whizzes!
According to a groundbreaking study conducted by Maastricht University, schoolchildren show significant improvements in their math skills when provided with a healthy lunch and increased physical activity. This compelling finding surprised the researchers, who hadn’t anticipated such a pronounced impact on student performance.
The comprehensive study tracked primary school children in South Limburg over a span of four years, during which they received nutritious lunches alongside additional exercise lessons. Remarkably, the students exhibited noticeable improvements in their arithmetic abilities within just one year.
“We were truly taken aback by the results,” stated Professor Onno van Schayck of Maastricht University. “The children’s arithmetic skills improved swiftly and the benefits continued over the years.” While changes in academic performance were expected, the quick and noticeable advancements were beyond their predictions.
Influence of healthy nutrition
To reach this conclusion, researchers analyzed data from prior studies conducted between 2015 and 2020, involving eight primary schools and over 2,200 students. Of these, two schools implemented a healthy lunch program while also increasing physical activity. In contrast, two schools focused solely on added exercise, and the remaining four maintained their existing routines.
The findings indicated that students who enjoyed nutritious meals coupled with regular physical activity not only became healthier overall but also experienced a reduction in belly fat. Importantly, these students demonstrated superior arithmetic skills compared to their peers. The children’s performance was evaluated through rigorous arithmetic and language assessments.
After just one year, the children who participated in the healthy eating and increased exercise program outperformed their counterparts in arithmetic tests. After four years, this disparity in math proficiency became even more pronounced, with students from the healthier schools showcasing far superior math skills compared to those from schools without such initiatives.
Wheel of Five
At An d’r Put primary school in Landgraaf, a healthy lunch program has recently been implemented. School director Marina Schmitz commented, “It was essential; many children came to school without adequate lunches, often with something as minimal as a cold pizza slice. Such a diet is simply not conducive to effective learning.”
For the past year, students have enjoyed a healthy buffet, featuring a selection of items from the Wheel of Five, which emphasizes balanced nutrition. “We provide a variety of healthy options: cucumber, radishes, whole wheat bread, eggs, and cheese. For those with a sweet tooth, we offer apple syrup and jam, but absolutely no chocolate spread or sprinkles,” Schmitz added.
Strong academic performance appears to correlate with a healthy lunch and increased physical activity. “Post-lunch and recess, the children exhibit more alertness, positively influencing their academic achievements,” Schmitz explained. The daily cost for the lunch and exercise program is set at €1.75 per child. This initiative eliminates the need for parents to shop for groceries for lunch, while also providing necessary financial support for those who may struggle to afford it.
Professor Van Schayck advocates for the wider adoption of healthy lunch programs in schools across the country and has called on government officials to take decisive action. Notably, this year, the government allocated €135 million specifically for school meals. “It is crucial that these meals not only fill the stomachs of our children but are also nutritious,” he emphasized.
As the autumn holidays approach, parents are encouraged to reflect on how to prepare healthy lunch options for their children.
Healthy Lunches Make for Smarter Kids: Who Knew?
By Tristan Braakman · Adapted by Your Favorite Comedian Mashup
Math Performance Meets Nutritional Power-Up
Well, if you ever thought that the key to unlocking your child’s genius lay in some magic potion or a mysterious algebra app, hold onto your lunchboxes! A study from Maastricht University has just suggested that a healthy lunch and a bit of exercise might be what we’ve been missing. Who knew that carrots could be more effective than cramming those multiplication tables the night before?
The Surprising Study
Over four years, a bunch of primary school kiddos in South Limburg were treated to all the greens they could eat and some extra PE classes to boot — and boy, did it show! After just a year, they were crunching numbers like they were crunching… well, cucumbers!
Professor Onno van Schayck of Maastricht University said, “We didn’t think the effect would be so big.” Right? We thought it was just a fancy way of saying “Eat your vegetables, and you’ll grow up to be a rocket scientist!” But seriously, after a year, these pint-sized mathematicians were outdoing their peers who were munching on cold pizza and whatever mysterious leftovers magically appeared in their lunchboxes.
Healthy Lunches, Happy Kids
So, what’s on the menu? At An d’r Put primary school, it’s a “Wheel of Five” buffet! Think of it as master chef meets school cafeteria: whole wheat bread, radishes, and eggs, rather than frozen pizza and a sad-looking sandwich. And just to ensure that we don’t go completely off the rails, the school is skipping the chocolate sprinkles. Sorry, sweet tooth aficionados — you’ll have to find your sugar fix at home!
The Incredible Roll Call of Health
The students who were lucky enough to chow down on this wholesome fare showed less belly fat, better health, and of course, the all-important improved math scores. Language skills? Not so much. Why? Well, according to Professor Van Schayck, parents tend to focus on words and sentences at home. Apparently, arithmetic is not a dinner table conversation topic — who knew? “Hey, do you speak ‘numbers?’” might be better suited for a mathlete than a parent.
The Financial Impact
For just €1.75 a day per child, what a steal! parents can say goodbye to the daily “What should I give them for lunch?” panic. No more half-eaten sandwiches in the fridge or the dreaded cold pizza slice moldering away. Plus, there’s support for those who may find the cost a stretch — because apparently feeding kids nutritious food isn’t common sense everywhere!
Government, Are You Listening?
As luck would have it, the government has allocated a whopping 135 million euros for school meals this year. Professor Van Schayck is taking this opportunity to shout from the rooftops, “Let’s get some healthy food on those trays!” Because, let’s face it, a full stomach is great, but nothing says “future genius” quite like a hearty helping of broccoli.
The Bottom Line
So as we gaze into the future of education, let’s hope that school lunches evolve past the dreary brown paper bag filled with mystery leftovers. Nutritious food and movement may not only benefit maths but could also be the gateway to becoming the next Einstein! And perhaps, just perhaps, in a few years’ time, we’ll have a generation of children not asking “Why do I have to do maths?” but rather “What’s the square root of awesome?”
So remember folks: If you want your kids to ace their arithmetic tests, skip the chocolate sprinkles and invest in some carrots! At least then, we might not have to threaten them with “No dessert until you finish your homework!”
And there you have it — a healthy belly equals a sharper mind! Who knew? Let’s serve up some nutritious goodness, toss in some exercise, and watch those kids blossom into the next generation of math whizzes!