Healthy meals mean healthy minds

We all understand the link between nutrition and healthy bodies. One of the first cliches most children become familiar with is the old chestnut "you have to eat your vegetables if you want to grow up big and strong.” But that old saying only covers half of the story. More and more, educators and scientists are proving a direct link between nutrition and mental development. If a child goes hungry, they will have difficulty developing in other areas.

Children who suffer from malnutrition either in the form of regularly missing meals, or a diet comprised of nothing but low quality food suffer in the classroom. While they might be in attendance physically, mentally, they are far removed from the class and unable to absorb or process the information they receive. It's not hard to imagine why. How can anyone learn if they are distracted by constant hunger pains? How can the body continue to fuel itself and find the energy to concentrate and care about what is going on in class when it's running on empty? 

Additionally, malnutrition introduces knock-on effects that compound the difficulties already present. Children who are malnourished are more susceptible for preventable illnesses, their bodies lack the necessary vitamins and minerals to fuel a strong and consistent immune system. So when they come in contact with germs, they run a much higher risk of contracting an illness that a properly fed child might not. This leads to more time out of school, missing classes, and falling behind, essentially handicapping an already disadvantaged student. 

These are only the effects that are evident when looking on the outside. Inside the body, the impact nutrition has on development cannot be understated. The American Psychological Association has conducted a number of studies looking at the effects of nutrition during different stages of development. In grade school-aged children, they observed a direct link between hunger and mood and behavioral disorders. Hungry and malnourished children are far more likely to act out, break rules, or fail to pay attention than their well fed peers. 

In this way, the effects of hunger and malnutrition are insidious and potentially long-reaching. Not only do they directly impact a child's ability to develop mentally, they also can lead to the child being labeled as "trouble maker” or "underachiever” stigmatizing them and making it less likely they will receive the support they need as they continue through their academic life. The Children's Hunger Alliance in Ohio found that hungry students are twice as likely to have to repeat a grade.

 

 

There is positive news though. The APA's studies show that not only can proper nutrition prevent these issues, but can also compensate for earlier periods of malnutrition. Just because a child has had to suffer through periods of malnutrition and hunger earlier in their lives, this doesn't doom them to permanent underdevelopment. Access to even one healthy meal a day on a regular basis can make a huge difference in a child's life and mental development.

This is why C4i is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of the children of Israel. According to a 2016 report from the Israeli National Council for the Child, over 30% of children in Israel live beneath the poverty line. Many of these families struggle to provide for the basic needs of their children, including regular meals. Of these, children with special needs are particularly vulnerable to the impact of poverty and hunger. 

C4i's Children At Risk program is designed to help these families. We support a robust after-school program where vulnerable children are given the extra care and attention they need to succeed. Along with assistance with homework studies, tutoring, and access to computer technology, each child is provided with a delicious, nutritious meal. This includes children who cannot be fed orally and require specialized food and feeding procedures.

C4i's Children At Risk program has positively impacted the lives of countless children who could depend on at least one hot meal a day they otherwise might not have received. Through our program, these children have been given both the physical nourishment they need for healthy development, as well as a positive, supportive environment to learn, grow, and play. We are immensely proud of the work we've done and humbly ask for your support so we can continue, and even expand our program to accomplish even more. 

Together we can make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children in Israel.