ISSUE ON TABLE

The Education Times visited College Amir Des Effants in Kinyinya and asked students whether they have lunch as expected or whether they skip it for fear of being laughed at by members of the opposite sex.

We bring you some of their opinions.

Clemence Fifi

I have no shame when it comes to food. I don’t like eating oily food because it may make me fat. However, I would not hesitate going to the dining hall when these boys are looking at me. They mostly make fun when it is porridge time but not lunch. Luckily I don’t take the porridge.

Polycarp Dufitimana

Skipping school lunch is not an option for me. I always eat my food although my friends always make fun of me. In fact I always invite the shy guys to go with me. People be hungry but just pretend to be of a high status. However let the opposite sex disappear and you will see how people fight for food.

Orchide Irakoze

I know feeling shy is normal but sometimes when girls are looking at you it is difficult to pick school lunch. But this cannot stop me from eating. Sometimes I wait for them to disappear then run to the dining hall. But I have friends who don’t pretend.

Dianah Kihumuro

I skip meals on a number of occasions because I want to keep my body in shape. If you eat a lot, you are likely to put on a lot of unnecessary weight. School life is quite challenging because some times you are hungry and want to eat but your friends discourage you.

Shadrack Tuyizere

You have to look out if your close friends are watching you before you go to the dining otherwise they will call you local. I only go there in a big group of students I consider to have class.

Queen Akaliza

I feel free here but at my former school I used not to go for lunch. And it was not only me. Students did not like the porridge so they used not to go for it. In fact you would be looked at as an outcast. Here it’s the opposite may be because I’m still new.

Mercie Vaness S5

I am not very shy when it comes to food. Although some students like showing off I don’t mind school lunch. I have friends who would rather spend days hungry than go to the dining hall. Girls think going hungry makes them look good.

Irebe Sun Benitha

Sometimes I skip porridge and lunch. If the dining is crowded, don’t expect me to go there. If there was an option, I would go without school food. It’s not that the meals are not fine but when you over eat you become fat and no one will admire you.

Fanny Umutoni

Missing meals due to boys is rare but it happens. Girls want to look good and if you are going to eat anything you are bound to lose out on very many things.

Why skipping meals is Unhealthy

Skipping meals is often seen as an attractive way to lose weight. Unfortunately, the side affects of skipping meals are much more serious than any potential benefits. Some consequences of skipping meals can include promoting the development of diabetes, inadequate nutrition, and drastically altering the way that your body digests food.

Blood sugar drops and spikes

One of the most important reasons that skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the affect this has on your blood sugar. When you eat a meal, your body breaks up the food. Some of this food is stored as fat, while other parts of it enter your bloodstream as sugar, and work to provide you with energy throughout the day.

When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops dramatically. This not only can make you feel sluggish and tired, but it can also wreck havoc with insulin in your body. If you chronically skip meals, you can be setting yourself up for the development of diabetes later in life.

Inadequate nutrition

Another important reason why skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the fact that you are more than likely not receiving adequate nutrition. Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats helps not only to ensure that your body functions properly, but can also help in the treatment and prevention of a number of serious conditions. Some conditions that can be improved with proper nutrition include cardiovascular disease, strokes, and some types of cancer.

Altered metabolism

If you are one of the people who are trying to lose weight, you may be actually sabotaging yourself by skipping meals. When you eat, your metabolism, which is one of your body’s functions, works to break the food down into smaller, usable parts. When you skip a meal, your metabolism has nothing to do. In a way, your metabolism is like a muscle. You must use it, or you will "lose it.” When your metabolism does not have to work to break down food, it begins to slow down. Then, the next time you do actually eat something, your metabolism is not able to break the food down as quickly, and as a result the food is stored as fat. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy weight (or even lose weight), it is essential that you eat regularly throughout the day.