The association of non-core foods on academic performance among grade five students in Nova Scotia.

Abstract

This study examines the association between non-core food intake and academic performance among children.

Grade five students in Nova Scotia were surveyed as part of the Children’s Lifestyle and School-Performance Study (CLASS II). Regression methods were used to examine the association between non-core food intake and academic performance while adjusting for confounding variables.

Students who had higher intakes of non-core food were more likely to perform poorly in reading, writing, and mathematics. However, this association was negated when core food consumption was adjusted for. Core food consumption had a positive association with academic performance that remained significant after mutually adjusting for all variables.

Even though there was a negative association between non-core food and academic performance, the influence did not remain significant after core food consumption was accounted for. Therefore, these results highlight the importance for children’s diets to be high in core food in order to support learning.