Norway mandated that all students receive one piece of fruit daily between 2007 and 2014 to boost learning results by improving diets. The complementary fruit program increased the mean fruit consumption among insured children by around 30% while decreasing unhealthy snack intake among low-income youngsters.
Fruit consumption is linked to higher academic success and can help avoid chronic illnesses, boost attention in school children, and lower negative behavior that hinders learning conditions.
In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, researchers investigated whether providing fruit to children in mixed elementary and secondary schools boosted academic performance. The researchers examined the effects of Norway's free school program on academic performance.
Overall, the study findings showed that the Norwegian legislation forcing schools to distribute free fruit to students had no positive effect on academic achievement. The result might be due to the policy's poor implementation, a minor influence on students' diets, or Norwegian students' already strong baseline nutritional status.
The study findings indicate that governments and educational institutions should be careful when expecting academic gains from nutritional initiatives since they may be context-sensitive and ineffective in situations with limited dietary challenges.
Source: news-medical.net