A Comparison of the Effects of Foods of Various Glycemic Index

on Academic Performance of Students 13 and 14 Years of Age

University of Texas at El Paso

Literature Review Government involvement in child nutrition

programs since 1946, National School Lunch Program(Kennedy & Cooney, 2001)

Recently, introduction of “No Child Left Behind”, encouraged interest in enhancing academic performance

Literature Review Diet has been

found to correlate to the academic success of student(Galal & Huylett, 2003)

Improved academic performance with proper nutrition(Glewwe, Jacoby, & King, 2001)

Literature Review Benton & Parker (1998) concluded that

breakfast consumption positively influences tasks requiring memory

-This is as a result of an increase in blood glucose

Correlation found between a low glycemic meal and better cognitive processes in the morning (Benton, Ruffin, Lassel, Nabb, Messaoudi, Vinoy, Desor, & Lang, 2003)

Major Definitions Glycemic index:

The rate at which carbohydrates are processed resulting in changes of blood glucose levels (Goscienski, 2003).

Low glycemic index foods avoid the sudden increase in blood glucose levels (Goscienski, 2003).

A high glycemic food has a rating of 70 or more

A low glycemic index food has a rating of 55 or less (www.glycemicindex.com, 2004).

Purpose Statement The purpose of this study is to compare

the effects of foods, differing in glycemic index, on the academic performance of grade 7 and grade 8 students in El Paso County, a school district that is mainly Hispanic.

Research Questions Does eating compared to fasting result in

higher academic performance?

Can a low or high glycemic food improve academic performance?

Do foods of varying glycemic index result in differing academic performances?

Significance

Optimal glycemic index level for School Breakfast Programs

Optimal glycemic index level for improved academic performance

Hypothesis

Low glycemic index foods consumption results in higher TAKS math exam scores

Major Variables Independent variable is foods of varying

glycemic index levels

Dependant variable is the resulting scores on the released versions of the TAKS math exams

Control variable is the baseline score on the released version of the TAKS math exam score

Subjects 90 summer school students

Grade 7 & Grade 8 (12-15 years of age)

Ysleta Independent School District, Alicia R Chacon Intermediate School

Equal amount of both genders from all ethnicities

Excluding diabetics, children with allergies, restricted diets

Instruments High Glycemic Index

Cheerios (GI=74 1 cup)

white bread (GI=73 1 slice)

honey for the bread (GI=72)

cranberry juice cocktail (GI=68 ½ cup)

Low Glycemic Index All Bran cereal (GI=38

1 cup) course wheat kernel

bread (GI=52 1 slice) orange marmalade

for the bread (GI=48) unsweetened apple

Juice (GI=40 ½ cup)

Procedure 1st Tuesday – normal breakfast routine 8:00 am arrival One hour following consumption complete

a released version of TAKS math exam Next 3 Tuesdays – 3 groups

Fasting High glycemic index food Low glycemic index food

Limitations

Ages of the participants

Academic performance in math

Type of food

Students attending summer school

Delimitations

Participants who are late, absent, or withdraw

Time of year set for the study during-July Vacation

Proposed Communication Method & Data Analysis

Journal of nutrition for publication

Statistical Instrument - SPSS version 11.0

Statistical Procedure

Descriptives of Math Scores will calculated

One way ANOVA with values of p<0.5 or greater confidence

Time Schedule December 1, 2004 IRB submissions

University of Texas at El Paso Ysleta School District

February 1, 2005 to June 15, 2005 Participant screening

July 5, 2005 to July 26 Testing

Ethical Considerations Consent Forms

Parent/Guardian signatures Subject number coding Kept in locked cabinet in Office Pre-participation Questionnaire

Age, Grade, Math GPA Allergies, Medical Conditions, Medications Breakfast Routine

References Scientifically Based Ball, S.D., Keller, K.R., Moyer-Mileur, L.J., Ding, Y., Donaldson, D., & Jackson, W.D. (2003). Prolongation of satiety after low versus moderately high glycemic index meals in obese adolescents. Pediatrics, 111(3), 488-495. Benton, D., & Parker, P.Y. (1998). Breakfast, blood glucose, and cognition. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67, 772-778. Benton, D., Ruffin, M., Lassel, T., Nabb, S., Messaoudi, M., Vinoy, S., Desor, D., & Lang, V. (2003). The delivery rate of dietary carbohydrates affects cognitive performance in both

rats and humans. Psychpharmacology, 166, 86-90. Donohoe, R.T., & Benton D. (1999). Cognitive functioning is susceptible to the level of blood glucose. Psychopharmacology, 145, 378-385. Glewwe, P., Jacoby, H. G., & King, E. M. (2001). Early childhood nutrition and academic

achievement: a longitudinal analysis. Journal of Public Economics, 81, 345-368. Green, M.W., Elliman, N.A., & Rogers, P.J. (1997). The effects of food deprivation and incentive motivation on blood glucose levels and cognitive function. Psychopharmacology, 134, 88-

94. Johnson-Down, L., O’Loughlin, J., Koski, K.G., & Gray-Donald, K. (1997). High prevalence of obesity in low income and multiethnic schoolchildren: a diet and physical activity

assessment. Journal of Nutrition, 127, 2310-2315. Kennedy, E., & Cooney, E. (2001). Development of the child nutrition programs in the united states. Journal of Nutrition, 131, 431-436. Kleinman, R. E., Hall, S., Green, H., Korzec-Ramirez, D., Patton, K., Pagano, M. E., Murphy, J. M. (2002). Diet, breakfast, and academic performance in children. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 46, 24-30.

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of day and pre-consumption plasma glucose levels. Psychpharmacology, 157, 46-54. Warren, J. M., Henry, J. K., & Simonite, V. (2003). Low glycemic index breakfast and reduced food intake in preadolescent children. Pediatrics, 112, 414-420. Worobey, J., & Worobey, H. S. (1999). The impact of a two-year school breakfast program for preschool-aged children on their nutrient intake and pre-academic performance. Child Study Journal, 29, 113-131. Non-Scientifically Based Galal, O., & Hulett, J. (2003). The relationship between nutrition and children’s educational performance: a focus on the United Arab Emirates. British Nutrition Foundation: Nutrition Bulletin, 28, 11-20. Goscienski, P. (2003). The Low-down on glycemic index. The Saturday Evening Post, 40-41. Natale, Jo Anna. (2000). Free for all. Teacher Magazine, 12(3), 7-9. Stordy, J. (2002). Fatty acids for learning problems: Could learning disabilities in children be related to their diet? Dr Jackie Stordy examines a possible link. (pp. 65). Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Ysleta Independent School District: Compensatory Education Department. (2003). Summer Program ’03, Planning Manual.