ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FAMILY EATING BEHAVIOURS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Abstract Objective: To estimate the impact of family eating behaviours on children’s academic performance as well as the role of children’s nutrition intake. Methods: A total of 2,113 students from grade six in the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) were recruited. Academic performance was assessed through students’ Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) grades, extracurricular activity, leadership and overall academic performance; and family eating behaviours (FEBs) were assessed from both general and specific aspects. Results: The less optimal general eating behaviours of child, mother and overall family were statistically significantly associated with child’s more extracurricular activity rather than child’s EQAO grades. The less optimal child’s specific eating behaviours were associated with child’s stronger leadership, more extracurricular activity and better overall academic performance; the less optimal mother’s specific eating behaviours were associated with child’s poorer EQAO grades on math and overall but stronger leadership and more extracurricular activity; and the less optimal father’s specific eating behaviours were associated with child’s less extracurricular activity and worse overall academic performance. In addition, “frequently” eating breakfast with parents was associated with child’s higher EQAO grades on math, reading, writing, and overall; “sometimes” eating lunch with parents was associated with child’s better EQAO math grade; and “frequently” eating snacks with parents was associated with child’s better EQAO reading grade but poorer writing and overall grades. Moreover, children’s intake of junk foods affected the relationship between overall family general eating behaviours and child’s extracurricular activity; children’s intake of junk foods also affected the relationship between the child’s specific eating behaviours and child’s extracurricular activity and overall academic performance; and children’s intake of macronutrients, healthy foods or junk foods affected the relationship between the mother’s specific eating behaviours and child’s EQAO math grade. Conclusions: These findings suggest that FEBs have an impact on children’s academic performance with children’s nutrition intake acting as an intermediary, thus, the importance of family meals and children’s nutrition intake should be emphasized publicly, and family-based interventions should be designed to educate family members as to promote students’ educational success.
Family Eating Behaviours, Academic Performance, Nutrition Intake
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