Introduction
Problem Statement:
Adolescents feel the pressure of state tests, common core, and standards more now than ever before. The students are being pushed to their limits and it is causing stress. The students encounter long periods of rigorous classwork without any break, with high expectations of productivity. This research proposal will examine the ways that a 10-minute break from all cognitive tasks with the inclusion of a healthy fruit snack can reduce that stress and improve student alertness. Research has shown that recess types of breaks are correlated with an increase in productivity and student behavior and it has also shown that there is a strong correlation with a healthy diet and brain functioning. With all this information there is no specific research addressing the benefits of a non-recess break from work and incorporating a healthy snack into it.
Background:
Stress and mental fatigue are prevalent among a majority of adolescents in America. The American Psychological Association conducted a survey in 2009 on Stress in America. The survey found that 44% of students from ages 8-12 indicated they were feeling stressed because of managing school pressure, responsibilities, homework, and doing well in school. Kids health conducted a similar survey and hound students were worried about school, grades, homework, family, friends, peers, gossip, and teasing. One can argue that some stress is good and has been found to increase motivation and healthy competition. However, chronic stress, which occurs when one feels that he or she cannot possibly meet all of the demands placed upon him or her, has been consistently associated with negative outcomes (Blazer, 2010). Recess is an important part of the day for stu...
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While the public is aware of some of the basic effects that stress can have through educational and medical exposure, but there is still plenty of information that the general population is missing. Part of the reasoning for why the general population may not have wide spread knowledge concerning stress and its fatal effects is the lack of attention stress is given in educational and medical settings, medical professionals for many people across the world don’t educate and check their patients on the stress they may be experiencing, schools also do a poor job of educating their students on the topic of stress and essentially ignore students who may be undergoing tremendous amounts of stress from school, extracurricular activities within or outside of school, issues at home or with friends, etc. Another issue concerning the lack of knowledge about stress among the general population is the idea that communicating about stress with family, friends, health professionals is
The intake of proper nutrients helps balance the maintenance of bodily functions; supporting the longevity of a healthy lifestyle. (Denton, Carolyn. “How does food Impact Health?” www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu). With constant technological advance in the world, it is important to become aware of how frequent the world changes daily in preparation for self-maturity. What is a more effective way to approach the real world than to have a direct experience? The researcher will address the topic on why community high schools in America should allow its students off campus during lunch. Allowing children to have a better lunch option could help educational strength as well as attend to other essential needs. (Anderson, Melinda. “Do healthy lunches
This paper will illustrate the lives of two high school teachers, Mrs. Natalie Wesbecher and Mr. Matthew Biver. Both teachers have obtained their Masters Degrees from prestigious universities, and proudly take the role of teachers and mentors at Freeburg Community High School in Freeburg, Illinois. Within this paper, I will discuss their daily interactions with stress and how they apply stress management strategies and techniques within the classroom, as well as how they influence the lives of many students on a daily basis.
During the 1990-1991 school year, dietary records of 1,912 college students were examined to identify the amount of meals students skipped and which types of food students were actually eating. The study found that 22% of the students skipped their breakfast, however students were recorded to snack at least once a day. Furthermore, the study also found men consumed foods with higher calories and higher amount of fat. The study appears to be more quantitative, however qualitative practices must have taken place when interviewing subjects about their meals to input into the dietary records. The findings propose that college students should be eating more vegetables and fruits, along with consuming less carbonated beverages and dishes with a high amount of fat. Although, this is a well done study, it is limited because it was done over 20 years ago, so eating habits of college students might have changed within this time. For instance, within these 20 years, the perception of soda has changed drastically, which illustrates the need for this type of study to be more relevant to college students today. Moreover, much of this study is focused on what these students are eating, but I also believe finding out about how students attain their meals is important for the understanding of a college student’s dietary
Zhao, Emmeline. "School Lunch Rules For Healthier Meals Get Mixed Reviews From Students." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Sept. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
Teenagers often stress on foods, what nutrition to take in, on what to eat, or what’s easy. While you may say, “Oh, fast food restaurants are very easy and quick!” A healthier solution would be to make a quick snack at home using healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains. “That should make up ¾ of every meal. These are also your dietary staples” (Jensen). Now while those ar...
Wu, Sarah. Fed up with Lunch: How One Anonymous Teacher Revealed the Truth about School Lunches--and How to Change Them! San Francisco, CA: Chronicle, 2011. E
Our eating habits are start when we are young. Many of the factors lead into the onset of poor eating habits are sports, busy parents, after school activities, or a job. In an article called “Big Men on CAMPUS,” it talks about the amount of food some football players are encouraged to eat. The main point this article raises is for those who don’t make it or those who do make it but don’t play in the big leagues
Fast food has been a very common solution for on the go eating because a restaurant is located at almost every corner and the convenience of drive thrus give people the luxury of not even having to get out of their car. Sutter Health indicates that over 25 percent of Americans consume fast food daily. It is not a secret that fast food has been blamed for being one of the major causes of obesity. This brings up the question how exactly does fast food affect specifically your everyday activities when it is consumed. Numerous arguments have been made about how fast food can hinder your daily progress and why it should be avoided or maybe be eaten but only in moderation.
Toly, D. (2005). "What's in the Package?" Rethinking Grab-and-Go Lunches. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, 37S113-S114.
Excessive stress in high school students is a concerning outcome that results from an excess of work from school. Sixteen year old student Bretta McCall, who has had her fair share of homework, says, “Academic stress has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. This year I spend twelve hours a day on schoolwork. I’m home right now because I was feeling so sick from stress I could not stay at school.” (MindShift) Because McCall is a high school student herself, she knows first-hand what it is like to deal with overly excessive amounts of work and stress. McCall deals with twelve or more hours spent working on schoolwork, which is more than any full-time job expects. The purpose of high school is to prepare teenagers for the dedication required to maintain a full or part-time job. However, like McCall, many students are forced to work more hours than that of an actual job. The students are overworked and overstressed, which leaves them with health issues that make them feel sick. Mary Alvord is a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public educator coordinator for the American Psychological Association. As a professional on the subject, she says, “A little stress ...
One of the reason’s why I felt my nutrition needed to changes is because nutrition is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle, the way that we eat and what foods we consume can have a huge impact on our everyday lives. Nutrition plays a huge role in multiple facets of a person’s life energy, health, skin, weight, confidence, and more making having a good control on your eating habits extremely important. How we eat over the years and what foods we routinely choose to eat can eventually have a lasting effect on use and what we consider to be most appealing and appetizing at any given moment. Having these craving and routine habits makes eating, diet, and nutrition both a behavior and a lifestyle choice that can be changed over time with help from the theories learned in this class.
Breakfast has been considered as the important meal to begin the day. Majority of parents and educators preferred their child and students to take breakfast to enhance their academic’s performance. Breakfast can be defined as, first meal of the day, taken before or at the start of daily activities, usually not later than 10.00 a.m (Giovannini et. al. 2008). According to Robinson, (1968), Burton, (1976) Wells, (1981) “The concern is based on the common belief that mental and physical performance are below optimal by mid-morning if no breakfa...
The general topic to be discussed in this research plan is nutrition, peoples eating habits and what impacts it has on them. The diet a person has can either have a positive or negative impact on the body; this research will look into how particular diets affect academic performance. Past research on the topic suggest that a well-nourished diet has positive impacts on academic performance. The literature review will give detailed information on past findings, research methods and conclusions on the topic. Furthermore, it will include a discussion on why people still eat unhealthy food when they know it is bad for them. At the completion of the literature review, the aim of the research will be stated, dependent and independent variables will be identified and finally the concepts of the plan will be defined.
“‘I am stressed out’ is a phrase that has been echoed by teens down through the ages” (LaRue & Herrman, 2008). The adolescent years are a time of heightened stress. Adolescents experience a myriad of stressors, the most common being school, money problems, and relationships with parents. Active coping is the most commonly used strategy that teenagers employ when facing stress. Stress management programs can be beneficial to adolescent stress when they teach critical thinking and coping skills for handling stress. As a future psychology professional, the research can be used to develop best practices for stress management in adolescents.