INTRODUCTION

Academic performance of school children can be affected by several

factors such as demographics, socio-economic status, school facilities, and

nutritional status. Among these factors, nutritional status of the population

determines the overall health status which affect the growth especially the

learning development of the students. Nutritional studies in Malaysia show that

undernutrition is still a problem in the rural communities especially among

young students (Al Mekhlafi et al., 2008). However, limited studies have been

conducted in Malaysia on the association between the nutritional status of

students and their academic performance.

In past decades, poor nutrition, characterized by excess intake of dietary

fat and refined sugars and inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole

grains, has been identified as one of the primary cause underlying the rising

condition of overweight and obesity in school‐age student. Examination of the

prevalence of overweight among grade 5 students in North America more

specifically in the province of Nova Scotia indicates that 32.9% of students were

at risk for overweight, with 9.9% being overweight.

The relationship between nutritional status and academic performance

is often stated; however, few studies have examined the impact of having poor

and proper nutrition on academic performance. Children who eat regular meals

and have an adequate nutrient intake perform better at school than those who

skip meals and have inadequate nutrient intakes. Breakfast is the most

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important meal of the day, and parents and educators must stress the

importance of its consumption as a prerequisite for successful learning after the

long fasting at night. The time between the evening meal and breakfast the next

morning usually the longest period without intake of energy and nutrients.

Extending this fasting episode by omitting breakfast may result in

metabolic changes that interfere with aspects of cognitive functioning and

school performance. Children who are not well-nourished have higher rates of

absenteeism. School-based feeding programs have demonstrated that schools

can play an important and effective role in improving children’s nutritional

status.

Children need to be well fed to grow and concentrate on learning while

at school. Improved nutritional status among children contributes to high

enrolment, better school attendance, lower rates of dropout and improved

performance in academics. The brain continues to develop during childhood

and through into the mid-teens, particularly in the area of the brain that is

thought to be responsible for higher order cognitive activities such as focusing

attention, blocking out irrelevant stimulation, testing questions in problem

solving and planning. In school going children, malnutrition and ill health act as

impediments to overall performance in school (GOK 2004).

On the other hand, the mediation effect of neurocognitive functioning

suggests that poor nutrition negatively impacts brain areas that play important

roles in developing positive social behavior. Findings suggest that reducing

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poor nutrition, alternatively promoting good nutrition, may help promote positive

social behavior in early childhood during a critical period for social and

neurocognitive development, with implications for improving positive health in

adulthood.

The reason for conducting this research is that the researcher noticed

different factors affecting the academic performance of the students and

nutritional status is one of the reason why. In order to come up with the best

conclusion, researcher decided to conduct this study to generate information

that contribute towards improving nutritional status of the students as well as

their academic performance.

The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of nutritional

status and school performance of ABM-A students in the 12th year of Senior

High School at a public school of Marivels National High School- Camaya

Campus.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Independent Dependent Intervening/Mode

variable variable rating Variable
 Nutritional
 Student  Student
status
performance Behavior

 Student  Socio-

achievement economic

status

Figure 1

The conceptual paradigm shows the relationship of the given variables

used in the study. As shown in figure 1, the independent variable of the study

was extent, to which it emphasizes nutritional status. It was expected that

having moderating variable which is student behavior helps the students to

identify different personalities towards academic performance, having good

nutrition and improved student performance of Grade 12 ABM-A students in

Mariveles National High School-Camaya Campus.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

GENERAL OBJECTIVE: Impact of Nutritional status in Grade 12 ABM-A

Students relating to their Academic performance S.Y. 2018-2019

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to answer the following question;

1. How may the nutritional status be described in terms of;

1.1 Body Mass Index

1.2 Intake of Breakfast

1.3 Eating habits

2. How may the academic performance be determined in terms of;

2.1 Attendance

2.2 Performance outcome

2.3 Class Participation

3. How does student behavior be measured in terms of;

3.1 Socio-economic status

3.2 Personalities

3.3 Hygiene and sanitation

4. Is there any significant relationship between nutritional status and

student academic performance?

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5. Is there any significant relationship between Student academic

performance and their behavior?

HYPOTHESES

Null hypothesis

 There is no significant relationship between nutritional status and

academic performance of Grade 12 ABM students in Mariveles National

High School-Camaya Campus S.Y 2018-2019

Alternative hypothesis

 There is significant relationship between nutritional status and

academic performance of Grade 12 ABM students in Mariveles National

High School-Camaya Campus S.Y 2018-2019