Notes

* This thesis work is about a nutrition and health program for the ABC Bilingual School students from 5th to 7th. * The problem was noticed by observing that many students are overweight, not being well fed, whether they are being fed with not enough healthy food or with too much junk food.

* It is very common nowadays to see a student with overweight or suffer of compulsive eating disorders that could have been avoided with the right alimentation. * This affects their academic performance, growth, physical development and mental development.

General Objectives * investigate if the high consumption of junk food in students from fifth grade to seventh grade causes overweight, illness and creates difficulties in their Academic Performance. * To study and suggest a right nutrition plan to help students and parents on how to choose the correct balance diet for a good nutrition.

* high consumption of food in students from 5th grade to 7th grade causes overweight and illness. * On the other hand: a result of right nutrition on students will develop physical skills, they will be more active, their grades could improve or maintain stable and keep their standard at school.

This study is going be focused on students from 5th to 7th graders and parents from the ABC Bilingual School.
Geographical area: ABC Bilingual School, San Salvador, El Salvador
Time: two months

COGNITIVE STAGE
Developing new thinking skills: * thinking more about the process of thinking itself * seeing things as relative rather than absolute. * Practicing new thinking skills through humor and by arguing with parents and others.

SELF CONCEPT

Self-image can be challenged by body changes during puberty and social comparisons.
With puberty, normal increases in girls' body fat can impact body image and self-concept negatively for many. Both boys and girls might be concerned with skin problems, height, weight, and overall appearance.

PEER RELATIONSHIPS

Friendships still begin with perceived commonalities, but increasingly involve sharing of values and personal confidences.
Might develop cliques of three to six friends providing greater sense of security. Antisocial cliques can increase antisocial behaviors.
Romantic crushes common, and some dating begins.

* Teenagers unlike adults, * do things without thinking the react impulseively and it leads to pubertal changes that soon becomes phsychological maturation

During late adolescence (ages range from sixteen on), adolescents have a more stable sense of their identity and place in society.

Calories that the adolescence body need * The period of adolescence = time of very rapid growth * high demands for nutrients and energy. * The rapid growth period starts at the age of 10 or 11 for girls and at the age of 12 or 13 for boys and continues for about 2 years.

* many adolescents begin to have more meals away from the family * often resulting in poor food choices, skipped meals, increased snacking instead of regular, balanced meals

Bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are the most common eating disorders.

* Bulimia nervosa is a disorder characterized by eating a lot and vomiting

* Cultural idealization of thinness = contributed to eating disorders affecting diverse populations.

* They feel guilty for not being "good enough," * shame for being overweight * generally have a very low self-esteem. * They use food and eating to cope with these feelings.

HOW DOES UNBALANCED DIET OR MALNUTRITION CAN AFFECT EARLY TEENAGERS FROM 11 TO 13 YEARS IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE? INTELLIGENCE * children who eat a healthy diet will be able to concentrate during school * which means that they can take full advantage of their intelligence potential. VITAMIN DEFICIENCY PROBLEMS Lack of vitamin B: * Leg Pain * Nausea * Breathing problems * Weakness Lack of Vitamin D: * bowed legs * spine deformities Lack of vitamina C: most can get the Vitamin C they need pretty easily through foods and exposure to sunlight.

OTHER PROBLEMS •Child = not get enough calcium will develop rickets * a child who lacks protein may be weak or have low growth. •Removing or adding foods in high amounts can cause digestive problems, sleep trouble and mood changes.

•Good nutrition and good health are very closely linked throughout life expectancy • Over half of child mortality in low-income countries can be attributed to malnutrition.

Diseases Caused By Malnutrition Marasmus = results from severe deficiency of both of all nutrients and is one of the most common diseases in children. ANEMIA •diet that is deficient in iron and vitamin B12. •problems like: 1. shortness of breath, 2. tiredness and fatigue

HYPONATREMIA •caused due to deficiency of sodium in the blood and diet. •This condition is often seen as a result of like diarrhea or excessive vomiting. VITAMIN A •increased susceptibility to infections, lack of appetite, dry and rough skin and hair, poor wound healing, increased susceptibility to contracting infections. •One of the consequences of vitamin A deficiency can be the total loss of sight.

VITAMIN B2 * The signs and symptoms of vitamin b2 deficiency = sore throat with swelling and redness of the mouth VITAMIN B12 •Is often seen in vegetarians Deficiency include, white spots on skin, shortness of breath, memory loss, headaches migraine attacks. VITAMIN D •deficiency include impaired bone formation = causing bone softening diseases like osteomalacia. •To help prevent this = to have a diet that is high in calcium and foods with vitamin D.

Girls' Average Height and Weight per Age Age | Height | Weight | 10 | 130 cm | 70.4 lbs. | 11 | 132 cm | 79.2 lbs. | 12 – 13 | 154 - 160 cm | 95 – 105 lbs. | 14 – 15 | 160 – 162 cm | 105 – 115 lbs. |

GRADE / AGES 5TH GRADE: 11- 12 6TH GRADE: 12 – 13 7TH GRADE: 14- 15 AREA This study is going to be done at the ABC Bilingual School located in the city of San Salvador, El Salvador. Colonia Escalón.

SAMPLE •The investigation was made through a survey and it was directed to students from 5th, 6th and 7th grades. * Each student will be selected for their looks to prove “if their nutrition affected their physical appearance. •Physical constitutions of each of the students are: 1. Under Nutrition 2. Normal Nutrition 3. Over Nutrition SAMPLE OF DISTRIBUTION Teachers and parents collaborate through polls. Despues fotos de 5th 6th and 7th grade METHODS AND INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES The method = scientific method •1) AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT PER AGE •2) CAMPAIGN OF NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION •3) HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAM •1) POLL •2) INTERVIEW •3) SURVEYS * CAMPAIGN OF NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION * GOOD AND HEALTHY EATS PROGRAM

Teachers Poll NULL HYPOTHESIS * they teach and guide students with the subject of nutrition, * they are aware of the importance of good alimentation specially on the ages ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS * Teachers do not care about alimentation or the way students are feeding themselves * they also do not think nutrition is important for the ages between 11 to 14.

PROBLEM STATEMENT To obtain the overall of the ABC bilingual school from fifth sixth and seventh grade height and weight according to their age and international average height and weight per age.

EXPERIMENT
“AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT PER AGE” Conclusions According to the polls made to students from the ABC Bilingual School from fifth to seventh grade the results were that students think they know what nutrition is but the results show the opposite The results from the interviews to the parents parents think they are feeding their children in an appropriate way and they also know the importance of nutrition From an experiment to students from fifth sixth and seventh grade they do not have the right height and weight related to their age according to the international average.

RECOMMENDATIONS * Start a campaign to improve the eating and activity * And help parents of children in school to better the nutritional standards related to health in general Create a web * healthy recipes * experts’ nutritious advice * allow them to subscribe to the web page so they can receive tips and information on their personal e-mails. * Create a variety of sports club in which boys and girls can be involved and everyone joins the club they would like to be in.