Over the past decade, researchers continue to study the obesity epidemic and the increase in chronic diseases – diabetes, heart disease, etc… What they continue to find may have you thinking twice about rushing out of the door in the morning without that first meal – BREAKFAST!

The regularity of eating breakfast has significantly declined over the past several years, during which time the obesity epidemic has significantly increased. Thus, there is an interest in the possible contributory role of breakfast in weight control and associated disease risks. In recent findings, researchers are suggesting that breakfast eaters may be nearly 50% less likely to be obese OR have diabetes OR have heart disease. One study reports that it is not simply eating breakfast, but also what you are eating for breakfast.

 

What research shows about breakfast

Breakfast is associated with a lower body mass as compared to people who skip the meal.

Breakfast is shown to reduce a person’s risk of obesity and insulin resistance.

Breakfast is one of the only confirmed approaches to maintaining long term weight loss.

Breakfast is to improve grades and behavior among school-aged children.

 

How can this be true?

People who are on the run and miss out on breakfast, often over consume on their mid-day meal and have tendencies to eat a more “sugary” meal later in their day as compared to those who eat a healthy breakfast meal. Additionally, those who eat a breakfast high in carbohydrates and sugars, such as breads and common children’s cereals, also tend to have a larger lunch to replenish their brain fuel after the blood sugars drop mid-morning.

What’s for breakfast?

Breakfast should contain protein and fiber food groups – a breakfast high in protein and fiber will keep your hunger at bay until your noon meal. You may consider a breakfast that has eggs, fruit, a whole grain cereal and a glass of almond milk. When planning you morning meal, find great protein sources including lean meats, eggs, almonds, or beans. Also, consider some of the following fiber sources: whole grains, whole cereals, fruits. On the other hand, stray away from sugary cereals, pastries, sugary juices, syrups, creams and spreads, white breads. Each of these options will leave you tired and hungry mid-morning.

 

 

References

Giovannini, M., Verduci, E., Scaglioni, S., Salvatici, E., Bonza, M., Riva, E. and Agostoni, C., 2008. Breakfast: a good habit, not a repetitive custom. Journal of international medical research, 36(4), pp.613-624.

Maureen T. Timlin, PhD, RD, Mark A. Pereira, PhD; Breakfast Frequency and Quality in the Etiology of Adult Obesity and Chronic Diseases. Nutr Rev 2007; 65 (6): 268-281. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2007.tb00304.x

Odegaard, A.O., Jacobs, D.R., Steffen, L.M., Van Horn, L., Ludwig, D.S. and Pereira, M.A., 2013. Breakfast frequency and development of metabolic risk. Diabetes care, 36(10), pp.3100-3106.

Smith, K.J., Gall, S.L., McNaughton, S.A., Blizzard, L., Dwyer, T. and Venn, A.J., 2010. Skipping breakfast: longitudinal associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 92(6), pp.1316-1325.