Abstract
Purpose. The first purpose of this study was to determine whether teachers who exercised regularly and followed the USDA recommended nutritional guidelines were more satisfied with their jobs than teachers who did not exercise regularly and did not follow the USDA recommended nutritional guidelines. The second purpose of this study was to determine if teachers who exercised regularly and followed the USDA recommended nutritional guidelines were more likely to consider remaining in the teaching profession than teachers who did not exercise regularly and did not follow the USDA recommended nutritional guidelines. Methodology. This was a correlational study to determine whether the independent variables of exercise and nutrition had an effect on the dependent variables of job satisfaction and job retention. A survey was sent to 291 teachers, grades kindergarten through twelfth; 253 were returned (87 percent). The twenty-eight questions were analyzed using chi-square to determine if a significant difference existed in teacher responses to job satisfaction or job retention when the independent variables of exercise or nutrition were introduced. Findings. Diet and nutrition significantly affected the way teachers felt about their job. Teachers who exercised regularly reported more energy throughout the day and less job dissatisfaction. Teachers who followed a balanced diet reported higher energy and more job satisfaction. Teachers who found their job stressful were generally dissatisfied with their job and had considered leaving the profession within the last two years. Conclusion. Teachers who are generally satisfied and likely to remain in teaching are those teachers who exercise frequently, follow a balanced diet, have high energy throughout the day, and do not find their job stressful. Teachers who are generally dissatisfied and likely to leave the teaching profession exercise infrequently, have low energy levels throughout the day and find their job stressful. Recommendation. Educational leaders should establish wellness programs to promote regular exercise and provide nutritional counseling. Programs should be established to help both educational leaders and teachers deal with the effects of job-related stress.