Eating vegetables linked to higher NAPLAN scores, study finds

Eating vegetables linked to higher NAPLAN scores, study finds

How do you boost the test scores of Australian students?

The answer could be sitting in the crisper drawer of the fridge, according to new research.

From left, Sophie, Jason, Ben, Suzie and Cam eat plenty of vegetables with dinner.

From left, Sophie, Jason, Ben, Suzie and Cam eat plenty of vegetables with dinner.Credit:Daniel Pockett

An Australian study has linked eating vegetables with dinner to higher NAPLAN test scores.

Students who devoured vegetables every night achieved NAPLAN scores that were an average 86 points higher in writing than those who steered clear of their greens.

Ben, 11, enjoys his vegetables.

Ben, 11, enjoys his vegetables.Credit:Daniel Pockett

Eating vegetables had a significant impact on students' performance in all areas of the NAPLAN test, except for numeracy.

Co-author Tracy Burrows, an associate professor in the school of health sciences at the University of Newcastle, said the connection between food and academic performance needed to be investigated further.

One potential explanation might be that fruits and vegetables influence neurological activity, promoting better cognitive function.

"Prior research had only really looked at breakfast consumption. We expanded it to include fruit and vegetable consumption, sweetened drinks and more discretionary choices like takeaways and junk food," Dr Burrows said.


"The research highlights that dietary intake does influence academic achievement."

The findings, which were published in Appetite journal, were adjusted to take into account students' socio-economic backgrounds and sex.

The Australian study, which involved 4200 students across years 3,5, 7 and 9, also found that eating more fruit was associated with higher writing scores.

Students who ate two pieces of fruit every day achieved writing scores that were an average 17 points higher than those who ate fruit three to four times a week.

Consuming sugar sweetened beverages was associated with lower test scores, particularly in reading, where students scored an average 46 points less than those who avoided unhealthy drinks.

Suzie cooks vegetables for her three children family every night, packing carrots, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms into pasta sauces and risottos and serving generous sides of greens with every meat dish.

Her children Cam, 14, Ben, 11 and Sophie, 8, love vegetables and snack on cucumbers as an after-school snack.

She attributes this love of vegetables to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program which runs from their Melbourne school, Auburn South Primary.

"They have learnt about the seasons, and when to eat the right produce – they know you eat cherries in summer. They learn about the moon and how that has an influence on growth," she said.

She said the findings were "good news" for her children.

While she doesn't pay too much attention to their NAPLAN results, she said they were all above average.

The link between a good diet and better learning outcomes has been recognised by many governments around the world.

In Victoria, the Andrews government provides 50,000 free breakfasts every week at 500 of the state's most disadvantaged schools in a bid to improve students' concentration.


The performance of Australian students in literacy and numeracy has flatlined for the past three years, according to 2016 NAPLAN data.

New figures to be released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority this week will show whether this trend has continued.

Most Viewed in National