Gifted kids reject schools' diet - but choose healthy eating

Aug 1 2006

A new survey of over 700 gifted young people by the University of Warwick shows that they consider themselves bright enough to take responsibility for their food choices and don't think that schools should be allowed to dictate their diet.

A poll of students at the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth found that 68.7%of the students questioned thought schools should not be able to dictate their diet and 100% of those asked said they would choose the healthy option and were aware of the hazards of a junk food diet. 770 students replied to the poll.

Some of the students who replied in the poll are this week attending a 'Don't Supersize Me: Medical Science' course at the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth's summer school at the University of Warwick. Comments from the students on that course included:

"If I was given the choice, since I know the facts about how sleepy junk food can make you, I would rather eat the healthy choice. I would rather eat something that would keep you going for the rest of the day than something that gives you a quick burst." (Shaaji)

"I totally disagree that it should depend on the school on what we eat. Realistically they're beginning to control what we eat, which is absurd. " (Hasan)

Students participating in the 'Don't Supersize Me: Medical Sciences Course' will spend the course learning about and evaluating the molecular biology basis and potential treatment rationale for a number of associated diseases with regard to obesity. Students (aged between 11-16) will investigate subjects normally only taught at PhD level.