A number of health studies over the years have highlighted some of the health issues confronting the Afrikan community from Vitimin D deficiency to type 2 diabetes and general obesity. (1)
The obvious implication being that the state of health of the adult will likely be conferred on to the children. One study makes a particularly observation:
“The finding that total and saturated fat intakes were particularly low among black Africans, while those of black Caribbeans are closer to those of white Europeans, suggests that the diets of the black Caribbean population may have become increasingly westernised since migration, and that the protection against CHD previously experienced by black African-Caribbean adults may be increasingly concentrated among black Africans during the next generation.” (2)
In spite of school attempts to enforce healthy meals, (3) young people are increasing subjected to the temptations of fast food on the high street. The Observer’s restaurant critic Jay Rayner, writes:
“There are now 8,000 fast-food outlets in the capital, one for every 1,000 Londoners, and their number is growing by around 10% every year. Cheap fried chicken shops are a significant part of that. The fried-chicken market alone is now worth between £15 and £20bn a year.” (4)
Rayner adds that his study of Newham in east London, of 258 fast-food outlets in the borough, no secondary school is more than 500 metres away from one. With deals like “three spicy wings with regular fries for £1, two pieces of chicken and chips for £2; or the “student special”: one piece of chicken, regular fries plus a can of Pepsi, also for £2” (5) children are being enticed by prices that are monetarily similar, if not cheaper than their parents had up to more than thirty years ago. (6)
Thus in addition to the socio-cultural challenges that our children face in the UK schools, the health/dietary one cannot be overlooked. One study has clearly identified the benefits of addressing the latter issue head on with a programme that replaced standard school meals with healthier options:
“Estimates show that the campaign increased the percentage of pupils reaching level 4 by 4.5 percentage points in English, and the percentage of pupils reaching level 5 by 6 percentage points in Science. We also find that authorised absences (which are likely to be linked to sickness) drop by 15% on average. These effects are particularly noteworthy since they only capture direct and relatively short-term effects of improvement in children’s diet on educational achievements.” (7)
While Afrikan children being home-schooled, at home-school networks or at Afrikan schools, theoretically should be able to escape the pitfalls of a school experience, it’s not clear if there is sufficient focus health and dietary requirements.
But just as the likes of educator David Simon is aiding thousands of home-schoolers with his online resources (http://www.ebonyeducation.com/). Natural healing legend Queen Afua has put a whole range of healing resources online (http://www.queenafua.com/services-1).
Of particular interest here is Queen Afua’s From bud to blossom: A hoilisitc parenting workshop, “for the cultivation of bouncing babies, young sprouts and supa teens.” Details of the sessions include: “how to prepare vibrant school lunches… to empower parents with natural remedies.” There is also a workshop on “keep connected to your teen through natural living… maintain a super brain for a genius life of radiant health.” (8)
(1) Georgine Leung and Sara Stanner (12/05/2011) Is diet to blame for poor health of minority ethnic groups in the UK? https://www.nutritionsociety.org/yournutrition/articles/diet-blame-poor-health-minority-ethnic-groups-uk and Health Supplements Information Service (09/02/2011) Too many UK children still face poor diet and nutrition, new Health Supplements Information study finds. http://www.hsis.org/press/childrensdiet.pdf(2) A. S. Donin, C. M. Nightingale, C. G. Owen, A. R. Rudnicka, M. C. McNamara, C. J. Prynne, A. M. Stephen, D. G. Cook, and P. H. Whincup (16/03/2010) Nutritional composition of the diets of South Asian, black African-Caribbean and white European children in the United Kingdom: The Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE). British Journal of Nutrition (2010), 104, 276–285. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/D9C126A653465F4862AA08934202C5D9/S000711451000070Xa.pdf/nutritional-composition-of-the-diets-of-south-asian-black-african-caribbean-and-white-european-children-in-the-united-kingdom-the-child-heart-and-health-study-in-england-chase.pdf(3) Department for Education (06/02/2015) School meals – healthy eating standards. https://www.gov.uk/school-meals-healthy-eating-standards(4) Jay Rayner (26/10/2013) Fried chicken fix: after-school fast food. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/26/fried-chicken-fast-food-shop-schoolkids(5) Ibid(6) Sean Poulter (25/07/2010) The ‘plastic chicken’ that’s only 51% meat.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-181626/The-plastic-chicken-thats-51-meat.html(7) Michèle Belot and Jonathan James (10/2009) Healthy school meals and Educational Outcomes.http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/cmpo/migrated/documents/belot.pdf(8) The Queen Afua Wellness Technology Institute of Holisitc Living (2016) 2016 Course Catalog. http://media.wix.com/ugd/5bed59_036c58ef0c5a41a5bbe72a15c740fbea.pdf
So tonight we ask the question:
Are our children’s diets affecting their educational attainment?
1. Do we need to establish our holistic health before addressing the needs of our children??
2. Are we confident in ensuring our children have nutritional and balanced diets?
3. Is it good that our dietary habits become “increasingly westernised”?
4. If not, how do we address this?
Our very special guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Guide To Excellence.
Queen Afua: Queen Afua has over 40 years experience as a holistic health practitioner and wellness coach and has a client list that includes Stevie Wonder, Iyanla Vanzant and Erykah Badu. A pioneer in the green foods movement, Queen Afua is the author of 6 books (including Heal Thyself for Health and Longevity, Sacred Woman, The City of Wellness, Overcoming an Angry Vagina, Man Heal Thyself). She is the creator of the Heal Thyself product line, and CEO of the Queen Afua Wellness Center. She has devoted her life to fighting the overwhelmingly high rates of hysterectomies, fibroids, hypertension, and other diseases by teaching people how to understand and utilize the power of food, self-care, and holistic healthy choices as an empowering lifestyle. Queen Afua has inspired over 1,000,000 women, men and children throughout the United States and the Virgin Islands, Canada, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe with her workshops, books, products, and presentations. Her renowned 21 Day Detox and Rejuvenation Program has been clinically tried and tested in partnerships with medical doctors to show proven results in lowered blood pressure, decrease in medication dosage, and weight loss.
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