THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM

TO LEARNERS NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Hildrette J. San Jose
Dela Paz National High School
 Abstract

The research was designed to test the effectiveness of school feeding program to
learners nutritional status and academic performance. It was conducted at Dela Paz
National High School during the Academic Year 2015-2016.The research utilizes
experimental research design to gather the necessary data needed. In response to
study’s statement of the problem, weighted mean, standard deviation, and standard t-
test were used.
Based on the findings, there is a significant difference on the BMI before and
after the exposure of learners to feeding program. There is also significant difference on
the general average of learners before and after their exposure to feeding program,
therefore, the program helped improve the academic performance of the students. It is
recommended to continue the conduct of feeding program and plan even more
nutritious meal for learners who will be subjected to school feeding. The school
administration continues to look for potential sponsors that will help the school in
sustaining the feeding program.
This research shows the effectiveness of feeding program not because we feed
them but because we prepare nutritious meal by always adding malunggay to their food
and serving it with love and persuasion to our students.

Keywords:
Feeding Program, Student Academic Performance, Student Nutritional Status
Introduction:

In terms of external funding and implementation, the United Nations World

Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s leading provider of school feeding program

financial contributions and program development. WFP currently provides school

feeding resources to an average of 22 million children in school, about half of whom are

girls, across 70 countries. The total financial contribution for these programs is almost

USD$500 million per year. Many governments work alongside WFP in school-feeding

programs, though in countries where the government is non-functional or corrupt, WFP

may work on its own or with other non-governmental organizations. The World Food

Programme has estimated that US$3.2 billion is needed each year to feed the 66 million

school-age children around the globe, an amount of US$50 per child. Malnutrition or

malnourishment is a condition that results from eating a diet in which nutrients are

either not enough or are too much such that the diet causes health problems

(Wikipedia). During academic year 2010 - 2011, the Department of Education (DepEd)

relaunched its breakfast feeding program to address the “malnutrition problem and

short-term hunger” among public-school children. According to them, Short-term

hunger refers to the condition experienced by children who do not eat breakfast. This

program was later renamed to school-based feeding program [SBFP] so as to allow our

schools to decide what time to conduct the feeding that shall best address the

nutritional needs of our children.

Not enough nutrients are so called undernutrition or undernourishment while

too much is called overnutrition and these may refer to as nutritional status. Nutritional
Status is the condition of the body in those respects influenced by the diet; the levels of

nutrients in the body and the ability of those levels to maintain normal metabolic

integrity.

To foster this, the DepEd implemented the school based feeding program where

as Antipolo National High School – Dela Paz Extension adopt this since 2013. This

program was managed every school year to reduce the number of undernourished

students and to develop the students’ performance level within that academic year.

Schools nutrition coordinator with the help of Technology and Livelihood Education

Teachers monitored and evaluated the children’s weight before and after the program

to determine if the ideal nutritional status of students was achieved.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The main objective of this study is to test the Effectiveness of School Feeding

Program to Learners Nutritional Status and Academic Performance. Specifically, it

sought answers to the following questions:

1. Is there a significant difference on the BMI before and after the exposure of

learners to feeding program?

2. Is there a significant difference on the general average of learners before and

after their exposure to feeding program?

Brief Review of Literature:

The relationship between nutrition and academic performance has been well

documented around the world. In particular, the negative effect of under nutrition.

Among others, Averett and Stifel (2007) who study the effects of childhood over and

underweight on cognitive functioning find that malnourished children tend to have

lower cognitive abilities when compared to well nourished.

Nutritional and Health Status are powerful influences in terms of child’s learning and

performance in school. Weak health and poor nutrition among students lessen their

cognitive development either through physiological changes or by reducing their ability

to participate in class or both.

In the study of Augusto and de Souza, the supplementary feeding program had a

positive effect on child weight gain, varying according to child nutritional status when

starting this program which means the program is effective for weight gain with a more

pronounced effect on children who start the program under less favorable weight

conditions. It is also states that nutritional intake affects energy levels, physical stamina,

mood, memory, mental clarity, and emotional and mental well-being (Amy, 2010).

Wood cited Kretsch et al. (2001) showed further possibilities that our nutrition

has a role with affecting our cognitive functioning. Studies have been done with school-

aged children and point to a direct correlation between poor nutrition and lowered

school performance. So therefore, if the students have enough nutrition on their body

they will also get a very good result in terms of academic performance.
Theoretical Framework:

In Maslow hierarchy of needs, the physiological needs must be met .That

children need food in the right quality and quantity .Food is necessary because it builds,

protects and repairs the body. The malnutrition and its effects on brain development

has tremendous implications on child performance. Poorly fed children are more

exposed to disease infections and emotional frustrations as compared to well fed

children.

The study is anchored on DO 34 s. of 2015 (revised DO 33 s. of 2015) which is

also known as Implementation of School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) where in some

complemented program of DepEd were utilized like deworming, Essential health care

program and Gulayan sa paaralan .

Conceptual Framework:

INPUT: PROCESS OUTPUT

 DO #34 S. 2015  TAKING  COMPLETED
 LEARNERS WITH BASELINE. ACTION
WASTED AND RESEARCH ON
SEVERELY  FEEDING THE
WASTED PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
NUTRITIONAL  TAKING OF SCHOOL
STATUS. MIDLINE FEEDING
 LEARNERS  ENDLINE PROGRAM TO
PREVIOUS AND THE LEARNERS
PRESENT NUTRITIONAL
GENERAL STATUS AND
AVERAGE. ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE
Methodology and Research Design:

This study utilized experimental research design in gathering and analyzing data.

A total of 41 candidates selected in different grade level. Precisely, 23 Male and 18

Female.

We do take the height and weight of all students to determine the BMI ( Body

Mass Index) and the respondents based on their Nutritional Status. The selected

respondents attended the program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the whole

year. At the end of the feeding program the teachers determine its effectiveness if

there is a significant difference on the Nutritional status as well on the academic

performance of the students.

Results of the Study:

This part shows the results of the study, gathered data, findings and
interpretation of the researcher.

Table 1
BMI Baseline and Endline
Results Baseline Endline

N 41 41

Mean 14.01 16.02

Variance 1.22 2.49

T stat 7.72

P(T<=t) one-tail 9.59

There is a significant difference between the BMI before and after the
Interpretation
learners exposure to feeding program
It can be seen that the computed value of mean before the feeding program is 14.01

and after the exposure to the feeding program is 16.02 which led the rejection of null

hypothesis which means that there is a significant difference between the BMI before

and after the learners exposure to feeding program.

Table 2
Previous and Present General Average
Results Previous Gen Ave. Present Gen Ave.

N 41 41

Mean 79.58 80.63

Variance 11.46 12.24

T stat 2.68

P(T<=t) one-tail 0.01

There is a significant difference between the General Average before and

Interpretation after the learners exposure to feeding program.

The table 2 shows that the computed value of mean on the previous General

Ave. of the respondents is 79.58 and the present General Ave. is 80.63 which led the

rejection of null hypothesis which means that there is a significant difference between

the General Average before and after the learners exposure to feeding program.
Conclusion

Based on the findings, the following conclusions were formulated:

1. There is a significant difference on the BMI before and after the exposure of

learners to feeding program.

2. There is a significant difference on the general average of learners before and

after their exposure to feeding program.

3. The program helped improve the academic performance of the students as

perceived in the results of the study.

Recommendation

The following recommendations are revealed based on the findings of the study:

1. It is recommended to continue the conduct of feeding program and plan a

more nutritious meal for learners who will be subjected to school feeding.

2. The school administration should continue to look for potential sponsors that

will help the school in sustaining the feeding program.