Education, and the ability of students to learn and improve their lot in life, is part of the bedrock known as the American Dream. A growing body of evidence suggests that academic and lifelong success can be negatively impacted — not by lack of innate ability or failure to hit the books but by inadequate intake of nutritious foods.
While myriad factors are at play, the link between academic success and health is stronger than ever, validating Dairy Council of California’s long-held belief that healthy children make better students. In fact, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors issued a strong “call to action” after the “Journal of Adolescent Health” showed a 96% correlation between adolescent health-risk behaviors — such as a diet low in dairy products, vegetables and fruits — and reduced academic success.