THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

The following article was written by Williamson County Schools Health and Wellness Coordinator Ken Brooks

In the last IN FOCUS the point was made how eating breakfast has academic and test taking benefits.  Not only is the research strong on this point, but the research is very strong that breakfast eaters, not breakfast skippers, are the ones who maintain a healthy weight.  Study groups included girls aged 9 to 19, since teenage girls are more apt to skip a breakfast thinking it saves calories.  There are other positives involved with eating breakfast.  Breakfast findings include:

• Healthy weight was associated with consuming fruits, vegetables, breakfast and milk. 

• One reason breakfast helps with weight control is that it establishes regular eating patterns.

• Those who skip breakfast have a tendency to overeat later in the day and justify it by thinking, “Oh, I didn’t eat breakfast today.”

• Even teenagers who skip breakfast get in the habit of snacking and grazing. 

• Children who skip breakfast are more tired, irritable, or restless by late morning.  These symptoms lead to aggressive behavior that causes children to get in trouble.

• Children who regularly eat a morning meal have more energy, are less likely to display aggressive behavior, and have a better attitude toward school. 

• Children who eat breakfast are absent from school fewer days and spend less time in the nurse’s office.

• Children who eat breakfast consume more fiber, vitamin C, calcium and folic acid.  Children who miss breakfast do not make up for lost nutrients later in the day.

Another interesting research note is based on cold cereals.  Cereal with milk is quick and easy and when the right cereal is chosen the combination is a good source of fiber, iron, folic acid and calcium.  Plus, cereal is fortified with many vitamins and minerals.  Cereal tips include:

• Choose a cereal with no more than three grams of sugar per serving and roughly five grams of fiber.  Adding berries increases the benefits.

• If concerned with the fat content in milk, then use either low-fat or skim milk.

• If your child has to have his Cocoa Puffs which has 13 grams of sugar per serving, then cut the sugar by mixing it with low-sugar cereal like Cheerios or Kix.  It will still look and taste like chocolate, but the sugar can be cut in half without noticing a difference. 

The research concludes that kids who eat breakfast on a daily basis have a much better diet and are more physically active.