Amy L. Fielden et al. they also attribute this property to the food that makes up their personal diets. This understanding might result from being told to eat so they grow up to be big and strong. It is important to consider younger children’s understandings are likely to be primarily shaped by their home environment, where the em- phasis is often on how much children are eating as opposed to what they are eating. I: Why is a banana important? *: Because it makes you strong so you can grow you have to have fruit so you can grow. I: Can you tell me then girls, we have found all these things that are good, as an example can you tell me, sausage, why is sausage good? *: Because it makes you feel strong. Girls reception This understanding of the reception-aged girls represented in this study of eating so they can grow up to be strong is also evident with the boys in the same age group. However, the reception boys also place great importance on the necessity of exercise to develop strength, this demonstrates another aspect in their knowledge. I: *: *: *: I: *: What about this one here, swimming, who likes swimming? Me Me Me And why is swimming good for you? Cos it makes you strong. Boys reception It is fair to say Year 6 groups relished the opportunity to express their knowledge. They were able to identify and name different food groups and discuss different types of physical activity; what’s more they understand the link between the two in relation to obesity. It seems other influences have impacted on the children’s understandings’ such as school and extracurricular groups. *: This is a banana. I: Ok why’s a banana healthy? *: Because it’s got seeds inside, because it’s a fruit. Girls year 6 The ability to identify a particular fruit by one of its universal characteristics shows a deeper level of understanding and suggests that a higher degree of learning. In fact it is explicitly stated that this nutritional knowledge has been gained at school. I: So do you know the different groups of food like carbohydrates, I heard you say protein and dairy before? *: Done it in science. Girls year 6 Moreover, it isn’t just a nutritional knowledge they have developed through education. They appear well versed in the concept of a balanced diet and also understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle in relation to physical activity. They are able to articulate the notion of a balanced, healthy lifestyle through a consideration of the consequences of over eating and not exercising. I: So what happens to you if all you do is you do watch TV and play the computer, eat the food that you told me was the bad food, what would happen to you? *: You would have a miserable life. *: Get fat, teeth will fall out. Girls year 6 In the case of the Year 6 boys who took part in this study, it is apparent that although a great deal of their knowledge has come through education at school, other avenues have helped them develop different aspects of their understandings. In this case it seems to be through taking part in activities, typically sport outside of school, or and more uniquely to this group through the influence of their fathers. *: I would say my dad likes fish so I eat fish loads. *: My dad likes chicken, so he gives me chicken cos after school I do sport, like boxing, he gives me a sandwich with loads of different toppings in cos meats a muscle maker and vegetables is like an energy maker, so if you eat those you will get fitter and healthier. Boys year 6 It is evident where the ability exists, or is encour- aged, to apply knowledge they have in a context relevant to their own lives, the knowledge becomes embedded in their understandings; it is applicable to them and, therefore, moves from being written on the board in school to being important to their own existence. This is exhibited by those participants, in particular the boys who participated, who have an involvement in sport. Having a motivation to under- stand nutrition and exercise leads to a desire to apply it because they comprehend the potential benefits. This aspect within the initial theme of knowledge through education leads directly on to the next 6 (page number not for citation purpose) Citation: Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-being 2011; 6: 7170 - DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v6i3.7170