FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

AUTONOMOUS STATUS – CHE

ACCRIDETED LEVEL IV – ACSU - AAI

Roxas Avenue, Roxas City

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

THESIS PROPOSAL APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis proposal entitled “Nutrition and its effect on

Academic Performance of students in Filamer Christian University”

prepared and submitted by Kristel Danielle Honrado, Dan Jenzent Deocampo,

Eleza Reynalyn Aldea, Mary Jane Balolo, and Trisha Mae Espina. In partial

fulfillment of the requirements in practical Research I: Research in

daily lives 1 (Qualitative Research) for the strand of Technical,

Vocational, Livelihood.

MS. BLESSED GRACE ODIAMAN

RESEARCH 1
Nutrition and its effect on Academic Performance of students in

Filamer Christian University

A THESIS PRESENTED TO

FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

SUBMITTED BY:

KRISTEL HONRADO

DAN JENZENT DEOCAMPO

ELEZA ALDEA

MARY JANE BALOLO

TRISHA MAE ESPINA

 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship of

cognitive functioning in school age children with the effects of dietary

fat intake as well as food insufficiency. What the literature also showed

was relevance between dietary intake and poor academic performance. With

the easy access to foods that adversely affect a child’s academic

performance, it would seem that the literature should become better known

among schools. The research reviewed shows that specific dietary

components, such as a balanced nutrient intake that will be discussed

further on, have a direct effect on the cognitive capabilities of the

individual, highlighting the need to have proper nutrition provided to

students in an effort to improve academic performance. The research

presented also shows an improvement in academic performance once proper

nutrition is achieved.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to address the relevance of nutrition and its

effect on brain development, cognition, and social behaviors.

SPECIFICALLY THIS STUDY AIMS TO SEEK OUT THE FOLLOWING:

1. What will be the effect of proper nutrition on students in Filamer

Christian University?

2. Why is it important to have a proper Nutrition?

3. Why do we need to be educated about Nutrition

 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

FIGURE 1: A stressful student with a mountain of schoolwork

 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

Nutrition and cognitive capability

Adequate and sufficient healthy intake of food is essential to

brain function (Bloom, 2009; Dauncey, 2009; Kazal, 2002; Shariff,

Bond, & Johnson, 2000). Moreover, maximizing brain function is a prime

factor in seizing appropriate cognitive capability – for example,

ability to focus, comprehension, evaluation, and application – in

learning (Kretchmer, Beard, Carlson, 1996; Schmitt, 2010). This

article addresses three aspects related to the food-learning

relationship, including offering a précis of the nutritional needs of

the brain by analyzing research from cognitive neuroscience and

healthcare fields; an exploration malnutrition in terms of both over-

and under-nutrition, and a discussion of the implications of

malnutrition at different stages in development; and a consideration

of the effect of diet quality on academic achievement. Finally, a

synthesis of these three aspects, a discussion of related learning

theory and current debate, and practical implications for educational

settings is tendered. The topic is particularly relevant to Christian

educators and others who wish to gain an interdisciplinary,

sympathetic perspective on how basic human habits and behavior (food

ingestion) affect the educational enterprise. All aspects of the human

experience, which include physical, emotional, social, moral, and

religious dimensions, are to be considered as Christian educators seek

a holistic view of life.

(https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=h

ttps://ph.search.yahoo.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1074&context=cpe)

Brain function

Neurotransmitters relay chemical messages to the brain to increase

function, and each chemical plays a different role in maximizing neuron

capabilities. Colby-Morley found that the brain needs amino acids and

choline from outside sources (dietary intake) in order to maintain the

brain’s necessary amount of neurons to release other necessary chemicals

such as serotonin, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine. Byrd explains that

serotonin involves “control of appetite, sleep, memory and learning,

temperature regulation, mood, behavior (including sexual and

hallucinogenic behavior), cardiovascular function, muscle contraction,

endocrine regulation, and depression” (p. 1). Likewise, acetylcholine

and norepinephrine both play roles in controlling the central nervous

system, heart contractions, and attention.

Wood breaks down the need for certain chemicals in brain

transmissions by citing Wood, and through a series of tests, found that

having a decreased amount of zinc in the diet affects memory by slowing

down the brain’s ability to recall information. A connection was also

made between short attention spans and low iron levels in children, which

also affect recall capabilities. Erickson reduces her research to reflect

the five main components found in foods to maintain cognitive

capabilities. Protein found in meat, fish, milk and cheese, among others,

are used to create neurotransmitters, explained above as chemical

messengers to the brain. A lack of this substance, known as protein

energy malnutrition, led to poor student performance, and was also a

cause of lethargy, and children becoming passive and withdrawn. The

article goes on to cite carbohydrates, found in grains, fruits and

vegetables, as key due to the breakdown of the compound into glucose

(sugar), from which the brain gets energy. Carbohydrates also better

enable the brain to absorb tryptophan, which is then turned into

serotonin. As noted above, serotonin plays a critical role in helping

children, as well as adults, utilize brain capabilities.

(https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16430/?fbclid=IwAR0Fxmfn5qpPMSBXC

qK1oqZ0AGmYHqXvtJqT2Rl7NbfUghrni7UgZQI82B4)

Cognition

Perhaps one of the greatest effects of nutrition on brain

functioning is on our cognition (thinking). The effects of poor diet on

sleeping patterns, energy and mood all indirectly affect day to day

functioning of the brain at work or school. Cognition is also indirectly

affected by the development of other brain functions, for example

nutrition is essential for the development of the sensory systems such

as hearing and vision and the integration of these processes,

the Sensorimotor systems. Sensorimotor systems are the coordination

between sensory functions and motor (movement) functions. An example of

a sensorimotor function would be seeing a ball (sensory) and putting up

hands to catch it (motor). These processes mature before cognition as

they are essential components needed for learning and memory. Therefore

without full and healthy development of these systems, optimal cognitive

maturation is not achieved. Direct effects of nutrition on cognition are

seen during neurodevelopment and then again during the ageing process,At

these times especially, nutrients are of utmost importance to optimize

the way the brain thinks and functions.

(https://www.omicsonline.org/nutrition-and-academic-performance-

in-school-age-children-the-relation-to-obesity-and-food-insufficiency-

2155-9600.1000190.php?aid=11123)

Food safety

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a food safety law that

changed the way food companies are regulated to prevent foodborne

illnesses. The FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule was released

September 2016 for facilities in manufacturing, processing, packing, and

holding of human food. The North Central Region (NCR) Center for FSMA

Training, Extension and Technical Assistance was founded by the Food and

Drug Administration to assist with the education of processors around

the Midwest. The NCR Center funded a project with three phases designed

to help small fruit and vegetable processors in the Midwest understand

their relationship with FSMA

(https://www.myvmc.com/lifestyles/nutrition-and-brain-health/)
 CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This describe the methodology of the study. The research

hypothesis of the study is the presented with the followed by

the questionnaire design, sampling technique, data collection

and a final description of the data analysis.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Youth face a number of food related concerns such as poor nutrition,

obesity, and hunger. Recent studies had demonstrated that nutrition

affects students thinking skills, behavior and health. All factors that

impact academic performances.

PARTICIPANT

Researchers target participants for this research are the senior high

school students in Filamer Christian University. In this study, the

accessible participants comprises the senior high school students of

Filamer Christian University.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

The instrument that will be used is the Survey Questionnaire for the

researchers to gather some information in which a five (5) item test

that consist of three (3) identification and two (2) multiple choice
questions will be given to the participants. The questions that will be

given by the respondents will relate to the Nutrition and its effect on

Academic performance of students in Filamer Christian University.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES

The researchers will first wait for the approval of the administrative

department of the Senior High School, Filamer Christian University before

they conduct the study. After receiving the approval of the

administrative department, they will be given a consent to the selected

participants to notify them and ask them permission to conduct such study

for a survey. Upon acceptance and finally have an approval, the

researchers will give a schedule on when will they hand over their

questionnaires to the participants. The researchers will go to the

respondent’s respective location to give the questionnaires for them to

answer. Since the questionnaires are not handed to the owner, the

researchers will have to wait and go to some other places during the

conductance of the study. After the researchers receive the answers from

the participants and keep the acquired data for analysis.

DATA ANALYSIS

Thematic Analysis is a flexible data analysis plan than researchers

used to analyze themes for interview data. This approach is flexible in

that there is no specific research design associated with thematic

analysis; it can be utilized for case studies, phenomenology, generic

qualitative, and narrative inquiry, just to name a few.

Step 1: Transcription: the data that have deen gathered by the

researchers will be reviewed and will scan to be familiarize with the

content of the study.

Step 2: Coding: The data or the answered questionnaires will be initiate

with short labels that can identify important headline responses in the

data which will then be gather to identify near themes for analysis.

They will be grouped according to the similitude of given answers and

will be set for interpretation.

Step 3: Analysis and Interpretation: Having to identify the themes of

the study and to analyze the gathered data and questionnaires that the

participants have answered so that the researchers will get more

information. We needed to interpret the study for them to know our

intentions.

Step 4: Generalization: We need to have similarities and differences to

understand the general and will by stating in the individual of research

study.
Step 5: Validation: Validity of the data will be examine by reading again

the collected transcripts and have all identified themes evaluated to

acquire the middle themes of conclusion.