How School Lunches Boost Learning: The Surprising Power of Nutrition in Education

New research from ESMT Berlin has revealed a strong link between education and nutrition. Elementary school students participating in a public free lunch program for extended periods showed noticeably higher learning outcomes than others.

The study found that students who received school lunches for less than a year scored 18% lower on reading tests. Those who had midday meals for up to five years performed better in their studies.

Additionally, students with consistent access to free lunches demonstrated a significant 9% improvement in math test results. These findings highlight the critical role of proper nutrition in fostering children’s cognitive growth and development.

Consistent access to nutritious meals boosts children’s education, proving that a healthy diet enhances learning and development.

How Nutrition from School Meals Transforms Learning Outcomes: Insights from the World’s Largest Midday Meal Program

Researchers Rajshri Jayaraman of ESMT Berlin and Tanika Chakraborty of the Indian Institute of Technology examined the impacts of India’s midday meal program, which provides free school lunches to over 120 million students daily and is the largest in the world. Consequently, their study sheds light on the program’s significant effects.

According to Professor Jayaraman, “the effect of nutrition appears to be cumulative, seen over time.”

“Previous studies varied between two weeks and two years and failed to capture the important impact. However, our research shows that the real benefit of school lunches was seen in children exposed for two to five years.”

This is the largest and longest study on the impact of midday meals on the academic performance of elementary school students.

Researchers used data from over 200,000 households across approximately 600 rural regions in India.

The initiative rolled out in districts gradually, allowing researchers to determine the causal relationship between regular meals and learning. Consequently, the results validate the significant benefits that children receive from global school food programs. In 2013, 368 million children globally, or one in five, received school meals, costing $75 billion.