Publications

The research investigated the impact of malnutrition on academic performance in secondaryschools within Nyarushanja Sub County, Rukungiri District. Five schools Bwanga, Rubirizi,St. Peters, Bwanga High, and Nyarushanje High were involved. A total of 1,153 respondents,including head teachers, deputy head teachers, students, and parents, were considered.Sampling involved various methods: purposive, simple random, and stratified randomsampling. Primary data came from questionnaires, interviews, and observations, whilesecondary data included existing literature from sources like magazines and textbooks.Demographic characteristics were assessed: 54% male, 46% female respondents; 36.7% single,56.6% married, and 6.7% divorced respondents; and age distributions with a majority fallingwithin the 21-30 age bracket. Regarding malnutrition's effects on academic performance,findings included causes such as poor balanced diet (30%), famine (18.3%), and digestiveillnesses (16.7%)—and relationships, like cognitive functioning (33.3%) and the impact of ironand zinc on brain function. Proposed solutions to address poor nutrition encompassedproviding balanced diet foods (33.3%), timely food availability (18.3%), governmentsensitization (21.7%), breakfast programs (15%), and support for needy families (3.4%). Thestudy showed a significant correlation between malnutrition and academic performance,emphasizing the need for balanced diets, timely meals, educational initiatives, andgovernment support to improve the nutritional status of students in Nyarushanja SubCounty.Keywords: Nutrition, Malnutrition, Academic Performance and Education