Abstract
This teacher research was conducted to examine how nutrition is related to the developmental progress of preschool children. A quantitative correlational design was undertaken using researcher administered student, parent and teacher questionnaires to determine the strength of the relationship between healthy eating habits and achievement of appropriate developmental milestones of preschool children. Six students, who were four and five years old, were chosen to participate based on parental consent, researcher observation, and teacher recommendation. Three males and females were selected with varying racial backgrounds. Students completed an activity-based literacy assessment of knowledge about nutrition and “what it means to be healthy.” Parents and teachers completed a survey discussing the children’s eating habits. Teachers also completed a developmental checklist for four- and five-year-olds for each student. Students were then ranked by three different categories: knowledge of nutrition; personal health; and development. Results of the study were inconclusive; however, slight correlations were seen.
Highlights
“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake.” (Obama, 2010)
Linda M. received a perfect score on her developmental assessment and correctly answered 24 out of 25 questions about what she knew in regards to nutrition (Table 1)
After reviewing the results from these two participants, it could be concluded that there is a potential correlation between how much a preschool-aged child knows about nutrition and their development
Summary
“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake.” (Obama, 2010). There are many factors that contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle, such as, amount of exercise, dietary restrictions, daily schedules, and portion control These can be extremely difficult elements to monitor as a parent, guardian, or educator of preschool-aged children, as it can be difficult to maintain a regimented exercise, hydration, and eating plan throughout a busy day. Arce (2008) suggests in Curriculum for Young Children that preschool-aged children should experience a wide variety of culturally diverse foods as this is a part of children’s emergent learning She proposes that children’s experiences with nutritious foods should be a relevant and familiar focus of the curriculum, and that nutrition education helps young children, and their families, gain knowledge about food preparation, ethnicity, and benefits. While a healthy diet differs from culture to culture, expanding young children’s nutritional awareness is key to physical and cognitive development
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