Nutrition is often sidelined in schools, relegated to occasional “Health Weeks,” guest lectures, or extracurricular activities. Unlike core subjects like mathematics or science, it lacks systematic integration into curricula. Yet, nutrition is foundational to the physical and mental capacity for learning. A well-nourished body and brain are critical for academic success, making the case for elevating nutrition to a core academic subject undeniable.
The urgent need for nutrition education
The nutritional challenges facing children today are stark. UNICEF reports that 33% of Indian children are malnourished, while 14 million are overweight or obese, reflecting a dual crisis of undernutrition and overnutrition. These issues span rural and urban areas, with urban schools reporting rising cases of vitamin deficiencies, lifestyle diseases, and poor dietary habits.
Nutrition directly impacts more than physical health — it influences cognitive development, concentration, emotional regulation, and academic performance.
Research shows that children with balanced diets excel in memory and problem-solving tasks, while frequent junk food consumption correlates with reduced attention spans and energy levels. If education aims to prepare students for the future, treating nutrition as an afterthought undermines this goal.
What should the curriculum include?
A modern nutrition curriculum must go beyond basic concepts like food groups. It should empower students with practical, relevant knowledge, including:
Understanding food choices: Teaching students to read nutrition labels, understand portion sizes, and identify hidden sugars or unhealthy additives.
Embracing cultural diets: Promoting pride in India’s diverse, nutrient-rich traditional diets while countering the allure of packaged and fast foods.
Connecting food to sustainability: Exploring how food choices impact personal health and the environment, fostering a sense of global responsibility.
Linking nutrition to mental health: Highlighting how diet influences mood, stress, and emotional well-being, equipping students to manage their mental health.
Integrating nutrition into school systems
Nutrition education should not burden students as an additional subject but be seamlessly woven into existing curricula. Schools can adopt creative approaches, such as:
- Mathematics: Calculating calories or budgeting for healthy meals.
- Biology: Studying how nutrients fuel cells and organs.
- Social Studies: Examining agricultural practices, food security, or global hunger.
- Practical Learning: Incorporating kitchen labs, cooking clubs, school gardens, cafeteria menu planning, or farm visits to reinforce theoretical lessons.
The role of schools and families
While parents and families are critical in shaping dietary habits, schools are uniquely positioned to influence children during their formative years. By making nutrition a core subject, schools emphasise that health is foundational to success, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s focus on holistic, skill-based, and value-driven education.
The path forward
When nutrition is confined to one-off events like poster competitions, it signals unimportance to students. However, integrating it into daily learning ensures lessons resonate beyond the classroom, influencing homes, communities, and future generations.
In an era where lifestyle diseases emerge in adolescence and the food industry aggressively targets children, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices is urgent.
Nutrition belongs at the heart of education, not its margins. By prioritising it as a core subject, schools can empower students to advocate for their well-being and contribute to a healthier society.
[By Dr Saiyam Sahni is the Director at The Beacon School, Gurugram. Views expressed are her own]
