FOOD & TRANSPORT

In recent years, and in most countries of the world, levels of overweight and obesity in children have increased dramatically. Approximately one quarter of our children are overweight or obese. This is a serious issue as overweight and obesity carry a greater risk of a number of immediate and long-term health problems. Excess weight gain in children is usually a result of excess energy intake (kilojoules or calories) through eating too much food or the wrong type of food, combined with doing too little physical activity or being inactive for too much of the day. “Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. We know that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging.”

Our canteen dietary guidelines are also based on research about good nutrition for learning: Eat foods low in refined carbohydrates. Avoid high sugar & high carbohydrates combination Eat carbohydrates with protein for a better nutrient balance to the brain Drink pure, fresh water. Brain specialists recommend 8-12 glasses per day. Eat iron-rich foods like dark-green vegetables, meat, beans & fish for improved attention, memory, perception and visual-motor coordination. Subjects on a diet of polyunsaturated fats learned 20% faster than those on a saturated fat diet. They also retained the information longer. Our leadership team monitors the quality of food served in our school daily to ensure it is of the highest standards and that it meets the above nutritional guidelines. We subsidise the cost of food served in our canteen so that it is both tasty but also organic and does not include harmful pesticides.