Primary School Curriculum has important contribution to make in educating  children about healthy eating according to researchers at St. Angela’s College, Sligo.

Having a Healthy Eating policy in school helps to consolidate learning on healthy eating within the classroom and across the curriculum, as well as impacting positively on the types of foods included in childrens’ lunchboxes.  This is one of the findings of a recently completed study carried out by researchers in the Home Economics Department of St. Angela’s College, Sligo and the School of Education at the University of Ulster in Coleraine.  Reassuringly, it was also found that 93% of primary schools across the Island have a Healthy Eating Policy in place.

The all-Ireland study, which was part funded by SCoTENS (the Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South), investigated the experiences of primary school teachers in relation to their teaching of nutrition and healthy eating has just been published. The study found that having these issues formalised within the curriculum has resulted in an increased focus on food and health across the whole school. While food, nutrition and healthy eating are taught within Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) in the Republic of Ireland, and Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) in Northern Ireland, the study found that teachers reported that in practice, learning about food and nutrition is reinforced across a range of subjects including Maths, English and Geography.

Furthermore, teachers reported that health promotion initiatives that are run in both the North and South, such as Food Dudes in the Republic and Bright Bites in Northern Ireland, serve to support the teaching of healthy eating within the classroom setting, with the resources provided by these initiatives being particularly useful.

‘International research has shown that in educating children about food and nutrition, consistent and age appropriate delivery of healthy eating messages is essential, however, there is very little information about teachers’ experiences of teaching these areas within the curriculum in both Northern Ireland and the South” explained Dr. Elaine Mooney of St. Angela’s College, Sligo, the lead researcher for the study. ‘The purpose of the research was to examine teachers’ perceptions of teaching food and nutrition related curriculum material, to hear about their experiences and to identify areas where supports are required’.

“The teachers we talked to clearly felt that learning about nutrition is very relevant to childrens’ lives, particularly with the growing evidence relating to the risks of childhood obesity” commented Amanda McCloat, Head of the Home Economics Department at St. Angela’s. “A very interesting finding of the study was that although most of the teachers felt their own understanding of healthy eating and nutrition was very good, they felt their ability to effectively teach about it was less good, and that they are often relying on their initial teacher education for their knowledge of food and nutrition.  Nutrition is an evolving subject and it is essential that teachers are afforded the opportunity to keep up to date with developments in this field so that they can use this in their teaching, especially those teachers who have teaching for a good number of years”

Dr. Elaine Mooney noted: “Most of the teachers consulted during the study told us that they did not have a specific textbook or teaching resource pack for teaching about food and nutrition.  They also told us that it is difficult to carry out practical food sessions due to lack of resources and facilities.  The study has shown that there is clearly a need for on-going career development for teachers in this area, and also for broader teaching resources such as text books, DVD’s, interactive games, and nutritionally balanced recipes suitable for use in the classroom to be developed.  However, current funding restrictions will make this very challenging to address”.

Image:  Left to Right Dr. Elaine Mooney, Ms. Amanda Mc Cloat and Ms. Eileen Kelly Blakeney from St. Angela’s College, Sligo at the launch of their research report