Breakfast: Is It Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?

A Few Words About Breakfast

Breakfast is often referred to as the “most important meal of the day” and as “an integral part of a healthy and balanced diet”.

As its English term suggests, breakfast (break + fast), is the meal that breaks the overnight fast.

Regular breakfast consumption, compared to other meals of the day, has been associated with several health benefits for both adults and children, including better weight regulation, improved cognitive function, and better cardiometabolic health. (1)

What Are the Benefits of Breakfast?

Breakfast is undoubtedly the most studied meal of the day. Several studies have emphasized the importance of breakfast in a multitude of beneficial effects on our health.

Some of the benefits that have been recorded are:

1. It provides us with the required energy.

The human body “works” continuously throughout the 24 hours of the day, and in order to meet its energy requirements during sleep, it turns to energy stores, such as stored glycogen. Therefore, consuming a meal after waking up will provide our body with the necessary energy to start its day and simultaneously contribute to replenishing energy reserves. (2)

2. It contributes to better diet quality.

Although there is no causal relationship as the data comes mainly from observational studies, people who regularly consume breakfast seem to better meet their daily needs for macro- and micronutrients, especially when healthy and balanced choices are preferred.

However, there is no clear causal connection.

In simple terms, it hasn’t been clarified whether breakfast, as an independent factor, contributes to better diet quality or if individuals who regularly consume breakfast generally follow a healthier and more balanced diet.

Certainly, though, breakfast is an opportunity to consume a variety of nutrients essential for good health and development.

3. It contributes to body weight management.

There are several observational studies that have emphasized the necessity of breakfast consumption in regulating body weight. The data seems to indicate that individuals who regularly consume breakfast show less weight gain over time compared to those who frequently skip breakfast. (3)

This seems to be attributed to the possible effect of breakfast on hormones that regulate appetite and satiety as breakfast consumption has been associated with a lower feeling of hunger until the next meal, which may prevent many from potentially turning to energy-dense and unhealthy snack choices.

In fact, a meta-analysis that included 14 prospective studies showed that individuals who consume breakfast with a frequency of >3 times/week had a 26% lower risk of developing obesity, compared to those who consumed breakfast with a frequency of < 3 times/week. (4)

These results are particularly encouraging as obesity is one of the most significant public health challenges of the 21st century, which is associated with the occurrence of various chronic health conditions.

4. It contributes to diabetes prevention.

Regular breakfast consumption is likely related to a reduced risk of developing diabetes.

A meta-analysis that studied whether skipping breakfast could lead to the development of diabetes mellitus showed that individuals who skip breakfast had a 32% higher risk of developing diabetes, compared to those who consume it regularly. (5)

5. It contributes to cognitive function.

Breakfast consumption has been associated with better performance, memory, and concentration, while skipping it seems to reduce effectiveness in verbal, numerical, and visual ability tests. (6)(7)

The reason breakfast positively affects an individual’s performance is because it provides energy to the body, specifically glucose. Glucose is the primary energy source for the brain, which it cannot store. That’s why it’s particularly important after many hours of fasting, as happens while we sleep, to supply the body with the necessary energy.

What Is the Importance of Breakfast for Children and Adolescents?

Children and adolescents seem to benefit considerably from an adequate and balanced breakfast.

However, despite the significant benefits of its consumption, data from Greece shows that: (8)

“1 in 4 children aged 8-17 years skip their breakfast meal”

In fact, children who skipped breakfast tended to have a more unhealthy lifestyle (poor quality diet, reduced physical activity, reduced sleep quality).

An adequate and balanced breakfast meal in these age groups is of critical importance because:

• It will provide the child with the necessary energy and essential nutrients to start their day.
  Don’t forget that children are in a period of growth where they need a variety of nutrients to achieve their optimal physical and mental development. Breakfast is an ideal opportunity to provide them with many essential nutrients.
• It helps improve school performance.
  Children have more energy and perform better because they are more focused and alert. Conversely, children who do not consume breakfast usually experience fatigue and drowsiness. (9)
• It helps maintain body weight.
  Skipping breakfast is associated with the occurrence of obesity. Given that the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically in recent years in European countries, there is an urgent need to promote habits that seem to be able to combat this scourge.

What should a breakfast include?

Although the benefits of eating breakfast are numerous, we should keep in mind that not all breakfasts are the same.

In order to enjoy its benefits, we should choose an adequate and balanced breakfast.

The key to a balanced diet is combining different food groups, as each group will provide them with different nutrients essential for their growth and good health.

A balanced breakfast should include:

• Source of carbohydrates rich in dietary fiber.
  Carbohydrates are the most immediate source of energy for our body.
  Adding carbohydrates to breakfast will provide us with the appropriate energy to cope with daily demands, and simultaneously, choosing high-fiber carbohydrate foods will provide significant benefits as adequate fiber intake has been associated with our intestinal health, cardiometabolic health, maintaining body weight, etc.

  You can choose: whole grain bread, whole grain breakfast cereals without added sugar, oats, etc.

• Source of protein.
  Proteins contribute to tissue growth and repair.
  Adding protein to breakfast will provide you with greater satiety and help manage feelings of hunger and prevent excessive energy intake at the next meal.

  You can choose: yogurt, milk, cheese, egg, nuts and seeds, etc.

• Fruits and vegetables.
  They are valuable sources of vitamins, trace elements, and dietary fibers, essential components for safeguarding our health.

  You can choose: tomato, mushrooms, apple, banana, etc.

Breakfast ideas

The choice of breakfast should be based on the principles of a healthy and balanced diet. It should include a variety of foods from all food groups to provide us with all the necessary nutrients.

Some breakfast ideas are:

• Oat porridge with banana and chia seeds
• Whole grain bread toast with grilled chicken, cheese, and vegetables
• Yogurt with whole grain breakfast cereals, blueberries, and flaxseed
• Muesli with fruits and nuts
• Omelet with whole grain bread, avocado, and cherry tomatoes
• Whole grain rusks, peanut butter, apple, and chia seeds
• Smoothie bowl with strawberries and acai berry
• Smoothie with banana and dates
• Banana-oat pancakes with honey and walnuts

In conclusion

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day.

For years, several studies have reported that eating breakfast has significant health benefits. Of course, these studies cannot prove any causal relationship between breakfast consumption and positive effects on our health.

However, there are indications that an adequate and balanced breakfast contributes significantly to both our physical and mental health.

Not only adults but also children and adolescents seem to benefit significantly from eating breakfast.

The quality of breakfast plays a big role. It doesn’t mean that eating breakfast will definitely provide us with benefits as not all breakfasts are the same. Quality is more important than quantity.

Breakfast should include a variety of foods from all food groups to provide us with all the necessary nutrients.

Bibliography

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2. Hopkins L, Sattler M, Steeves E, Jones-Smith J, Gittelsohne J. Breakfast Consumption Frequency and Its Relationships to Overall Diet Quality, Using Healthy Eating Index 2010, and Body Mass Index among Adolescents in a Low-Income Urban Setting. Ecol Food Nutr. 2017 Jul-Aug; 56(4): 297–311. doi: 10.1080/03670244.2017.1327855
3. Heijden A J, Hu F, Rimm E. A prospective study of breakfast consumption and weight gain among U.S. men. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007, 15(10):2463-9. doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.292.
4. Li Ζ, Xu L, Dai R, LLi L, Wang H. Effects of regular breakfast habits on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021, 100(44): e27629. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000027629.
5. Ballon A, Neuenschwander M and Schlesinger S. Breakfast Skipping Is Associated with Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. J Nutr. 2019 Jan 1;149(1):106-113.
6. Wesnes KA, Pincock C, Richardson D, Helm G, Hails S. Breakfast Reduces Declines in Attention and Memory over the Morning in Schoolchildren. Appetite. 2003, 41(3):329–31.
7. Galioto R, Spitznagel M. The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Adults. Adv Nutr. 2016, 7(3): 576S–589S. doi: 10.3945/an.115.010231.
8. Breakfast Skipping in Greek Schoolchildren Connected to an Unhealthy Lifestyle Profile. Results from the National Action for Children’s Health Program. Nutr Diet.2019, 76(3):328-335. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12522. Epub 2019 Mar 5.
9. Rampersaud G.C., Pereira M.A., Girard B.L., Adams J., Metzl J.D. Breakfast Habits, Nutritional Status, Body Weight, and Academic Performance in Children and Adolescents. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 2005, 105:743–760. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.007.
10. Moreno L.A., Rodríguez G. Dietary Risk Factors for Development of Childhood Obesity. Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care. 2007, 10:336–341. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e3280a94f59.
11. Porter, S. Healthy Breakfast Food Fact Sheet. Available online: https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/breakfast.pdf. (Accessed on January 2023).