What’s the number one cause of student leave or absences? Headaches? Nope. Boredom? Could be but not quite. Stomach Aches. Stomach aches are the number one cause of student leave and absences.

You may be wondering, why is that? There are a lot of reasons why, whether it be a stomach bug, food poisoning, or even bad eating habits. The cause may surprise you.

“The number one cause of stomach aches is not eating or drinking enough. Most students think it’s fine to skip breakfast but it’s the most important meal of the day,” says Emily Beckenback, Former Nurse at Canyon Hills High School.

Skipping breakfast is common among students because they might be in a hurry to get to school or simply don’t have an appetite, but what is a common factor among students? Late-night snacks and sugary drinks.

Nebraska Medicine of University Health quoted “ The best way to avoid an upset stomach is avoiding those late-night meals or snacks and drinking plenty of water.”

Making sure students can get the best nutrients in a meal at school and having enough clean drinking water is a huge priority school should partake in and who knows maybe we will see a decrease in student leave and absences.