TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of breakfast on classroom behaviour in rural Jamaican schoolchildren
AU - Chang, Susan M.
AU - Walker, Susan P.
AU - Himes, John
AU - Grantham-McGregor, Sally M.
PY - 1996/9
Y1 - 1996/9
N2 - The effects of giving breakfast on classroom behaviour were examined in 57 undernourished (≦-1 SD weight-for-age) and 56 adequately nourished (>-1 SD weight-for-age) children, selected from four rural Jamaican schools. Using a time-sampling method of observation, the children's behaviour was observed twice, once after receiving breakfast and once after receiving a piece of fruit. The impact of breakfast varied among the schools but not between nutritional groups. In the school that was best equipped and organized, the children were more attentive (p < .005) and moved less (p < .05) when they received breakfast than when they had no breakfast. In the other three schools there was no improvement; in two of these schools, the children were less on task when given breakfast (p < .02 and p < .01), and they talked more in one school (p < .05). This suggests that school breakfast may only benefit children's behaviour in the presence of satisfactory classroom infrastructure.
AB - The effects of giving breakfast on classroom behaviour were examined in 57 undernourished (≦-1 SD weight-for-age) and 56 adequately nourished (>-1 SD weight-for-age) children, selected from four rural Jamaican schools. Using a time-sampling method of observation, the children's behaviour was observed twice, once after receiving breakfast and once after receiving a piece of fruit. The impact of breakfast varied among the schools but not between nutritional groups. In the school that was best equipped and organized, the children were more attentive (p < .005) and moved less (p < .05) when they received breakfast than when they had no breakfast. In the other three schools there was no improvement; in two of these schools, the children were less on task when given breakfast (p < .02 and p < .01), and they talked more in one school (p < .05). This suggests that school breakfast may only benefit children's behaviour in the presence of satisfactory classroom infrastructure.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030381191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030381191&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030381191
SN - 0379-5721
VL - 17
SP - 248
EP - 257
JO - Food and Nutrition Bulletin
JF - Food and Nutrition Bulletin
IS - 3
ER -
