My name is Farasat Sarrinah, and I am 8 years old, studying in Grade 2 at Bangladesh International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I love my time at school, but recently, I noticed something that made me curious. Sometimes, my friends and I feel tired during class, especially when we still have 1.5 to 2 hours left before school ends. By the time we get home, we feel so exhausted that we don't even want to do anything. This made me wonder: Why do we get so tired?

Farasat Sarrinah, Currently Grade 4 student at Bangladesh International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

With help from my mom and science teacher, I made a questionnaire. I included foods like rice, chicken, milk, pasta, vegetables, fruits, and many others. I asked my friends what they had eaten the night before or in the morning before school. We gave the survey to students in Grades 1, 2, and UKG, and received 100 responses from boys and girls.

My mom helped me calculate the results, and here’s what I found:

• In UKG, most students ate rice and bread, while vegetables, fruits, and beans were eaten less.
• In Grade 1, milk was the most common food.
• In Grade 2, pasta, rice, and chicken were eaten more than other foods.
• Across all three grades, students ate more rice, pasta, noodles, chicken, and sandwiches than eggs, fruits, beans, and meats.

I also looked at the types of food we ate, like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vegetables, and fruits. Here's what I found:

• In UKG, most of the food consisted of carbohydrates (94.30%).
• Students in Grades 1 and 2 ate more protein and carbohydrates than other types of food.
• There was very little consumption of fruits and fats in all three groups.

Carbohydrates provide energy for our bodies. Protein helps us grow and build muscle. Fats give us energy and protect our organs. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals to keep us healthy. All these food types are important. Studies have shown that children who eat a breakfast rich in protein and low in carbohydrates feel fuller for longer and can focus better in class.

From my survey, I learned that children of our age are mainly monitored by our parents, and they should make sure we eat foods rich in protein before school. Also, fruits were eaten less by all three groups, so parents can encourage their kids to eat more fruits.

Teachers can also help by teaching students about the benefits of different types of food. This will help children stay healthy and energetic throughout the school day. Junk food should be avoided, and parents should encourage kids to eat more protein, fruits, and vegetables during snack time at school.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed doing this food survey, and I hope to do more surveys like this in the future. I think understanding how food affects our energy can help us be healthier and perform better at school!

Table 1: Association of children's grades with consumption of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fat, Vegetables and Fruits in their diet

 N: Number of samples