Healthy eating

Lucie Mizzi's highly entertaining hearsay evidence that the cereal packet is more nutritious than its contents is too much to stomach (pun intended)!

The Health Promotion Department initiative of a healthy breakfast in schools is more than a one-off event. It involves a qualified nutritionist talking to parents about healthier nutrition for their children as well as lessons held with the children to make them more aware of the best choices they can make.

Moreover, it is meant to encourage young school children to have breakfast before leaving home for school, as research has established the link between breakfast and student attentiveness, their motivation to learn and, hence, their academic achievement. Similar studies have also shown that children who eat breakfast every day have an altogether healthier diet and grow to be healthier individuals.

One must emphasise that in this particular event at Marsascala primary school, a whole range of different cereals was offered, together with fresh fruit and water.

The idea of presenting a bowl of nuts to children of such a young age is dangerous, to say the least! Offering unrefined cereal and wholegrain bread might be unappealing in relation to promoting a healthy lifestyle to very young children, but having a fundamentalist approach can be counter productive.