5 Fun Ways to Kid's Health & Fitness

Learning Quest > Everyday Habits - Breakfast & Physical Activity > Teacher's Notes > Benefits

Benefits of Breakfast - Overview

It is important, as the teacher and role model for the class to build your own healthy breakfast knowledge to support the Everyday Habits - Breakfast and Physical Activity Learning Quest and for a healthy lifestyle. It is not only important for students to have breakfast but also adults.

There are many reasons children don't eat breakfast on a regular basis. Reasons may include a lack of time due to oversleeping or hectic mornings, inconvenient (can't be bothered), not hungry or adverse physical reaction (makes them feel sick).

Whatever the reason breakfast is missed, children may be hungry by the time school starts and this may affect their concentration, learning and healthy growth and development.

Hungry children may be less attentive in class and they may experience headaches, be irritable and have difficultly concentrating. Hunger not only can prevent the child from learning, but it may also disrupt the entire class. This Learning Quest is very important to encourage, promote and support students' awareness in the importance of eating breakfast everyday and regular physical activity.

A nutritious breakfast is important for providing energy and nutrients which are important for healthy growth and development.

A nutritious breakfast is one that should contain foods and/or drinks from two or more food groups to provide the following nutrients:

		Carbohydrate for energy from grains, cereals, bread or fruit, some protein for growth and repair
		Some protein from milk, cheese, yoghurt, meat, peanut butter or beans or lentils
		Dietary fibre for health from cereals, bread or fruit and
		Essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy body, from eating a variety of food groups

To find out more about the 5 food groups visit the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating website at http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/food/guide/

A nutritious breakfast can delay hunger for several hours so children can concentrate on learning until it is time to refuel at lunch or recess/morning tea.

Eating breakfast regularly provides multiple benefits to the school, classroom and students. These can include:

		Better overall performance in class as children are more alert
		Assist with problem-solving
		Help children do better in creativity tests
		Improve speed in short term memory tests
		Makes important contributions to daily nutrient intake of important nutrients such as some B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium and dietary fibre

To find out more about the benefits of breakfast and nutrition, check out the weblinks.

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Benefits of Physical Activity-Overview

There are many benefits to being physically active on a regular basis. Being active everyday can assist in:

		Encouraging kids to be active and healthy
		Improving flexibility
		Building strong bones and strengthen muscles
		Achieving and maintain a healthy body weight
		Posture and balance
		Promoting healthy growth and development

There are also some social and emotional benefits which may include:

		Improving self esteem and confidence
		Aiding relaxation
		Providing the opportunity to socialize with friends and meet new ones
		Helping us to relieve stress

Unfortunately, due to our modern way of living, there are less opportunities for children to be physically active. Some reasons children are more sedentary include:

		Motorised transport, watching television and videos and playing computer games
		Personal issues including children's own perceived competence such as the lack of motor and sport specific skills necessary to participate in organised games or sports
		Environmental issues such as urban density and lack of free space
		Lack of opportunity to access organised physical activity or sport

How much physical activity should children do?

It is important for children to be physically active everyday and to do regular vigorous activity.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Young Australians suggest that:

1. Children, adolescents and youth should be physically active every day in as many ways as they can. (This can be through play, games,sports work, transportation, recreation, physical education, or planned exercise. It can be in the context of family, school and community activities which they enjoy and can maintain).

2. As well, children, adolescents and youth should carry out at least 3, preferably more sessions per week of vigorous (but not necessarily competitive) activities totaling 20minutes or more each session. NOTE: the amount of time recommended is a total, not a continual amount.

It is generally recommended that children be encouraged to put together between 30 - 60 minutes of physical activity everyday, and on most of these days for the activity to be moderate to vigorous. This can be accumulative over the day and does not have to be done all at once.

Moderate-intensity physical activity relates to activities that produce a slight, but noticeable increase in heart rate and breathing and may make some people perspire a little. So just going for a walk, a bike ride, throwing a ball with a friend or climbing up some stairs could all be examples of moderate-intensity physical activity. A good rule of thumb when undertaking moderate-intensity activity is that you should be able to talk (not sing) while you are doing the activity.

Vigorous activity that makes them 'huff and puff' is also important for children to do at least 3 times a week. Importantly for anyone who has previously been inactive or has a medical condition, medical clearance should be sought before undertaking strenuous forms of physical activity.

Specific Australian guidelines on physical activity for children are currently being developed. Once these have been published we will add a link to them on this website. We have included a link to the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults for your reference.

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