Good health and nutrition are needed to achieve one's full educational potential because
nutrition affects intellectual development and learning ability (19;20). Multiple studies report
significant findings between the nutritional status and cognitive test scores or school
performance. Consistently, children with more adequate diets score higher on tests of
factual knowledge than those with less adequate nutrition (3;9;20). For instance, studies in
Honduras, Kenya and the Philippines show that the academic performance and mental ability
of pupils with good nutritional status are significantly higher than those of pupils with poor
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nutritional status, independent of family income, school quality and teacher ability
(13;56;61).