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How Does Breakfast Affect Adults & Children?

Jul 19, 2011 | By Bettina Drew
How Does Breakfast Affect Adults & Children?
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If you're in a hurry to get the kids to school in the morning and make it to an early board meeting, skipping breakfast can be tempting. Sitting down for a full breakfast might not be a realistic option, but even quick bites of whole-wheat toast, yogurt or fresh fruit can have positive effects. After learning how breakfast positively affects both adults and children -- in many of the same ways -- you may never be tempted to skip this meal again.

Fasting Counteraction

One of the most important roles of breakfast lies in its name: The meal breaks the nightlong fast your body experiences between dinnertime, sleeping and waking up in the morning. Fasting depletes blood sugar glucose levels, depriving the brain of much-needed energy for mental work, according to Kid Source. Fasting can lead to irritability and fatigue, which interfere with your brain's ability to perform. Eating breakfast enhances cognitive performance, particularly with processing complex visual challenges, according to Tufts University. Other positive effects include better spatial memory and better short-term memory.

Suppressing Hunger

Eating breakfast also affects adults and children by suppressing hunger as the day progresses, leading to lower overall calorie consumption, especially if it's a nutritionally balanced breakfast, according to Kid Source. Breakfasts lower in fat, but rich in carbohydrates and fiber tend to contribute to higher energy and performance levels, according to Tufts University. The 1992 School Nutritional Dietary Assessment Study defines "breakfast" as eating any food containing 50 calories in the morning, although since 2009, other definitions of the meal have become more prevalent. For example, one definition of breakfast calls for consuming food sources that have at least 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA.

Physical Performance

Incorporating breakfast into the day can also affect physical performance. Tufts University found that schoolchildren who ate high-energy breakfasts in the morning had greater physical endurance. Adults may feel increased alertness after consuming breakfast, according to the National Undergraduate Research Clearinghouse.

Good Habits

Another positive effect among children who eat breakfast is that it helps build good eating and nutrition habits into adulthood, according to Kid Source. Eating breakfast as a childhood habit can help students continue eating breakfast in college and after.

Child Nutrition Act

After the University of Iowa Medical College documented the adverse effects of skipping breakfast among schoolchildren, Congress passed the Child Nutrition Act in 1966 to provide nutritious breakfasts to kids, according to Kid Source. In 2009, the program included 37,000 schools and 4 million students across the country. In addition to nutrition benefits, the program reduced overall tardiness and absenteeism rates.

Tips

Don't negate the benefits of breakfast by making the wrong food choices. Avoid foods with high levels of saturated fats, such as bacon and sausages, and swap muffins and croissants for whole-wheat toast and whole-grain waffles. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt makes a quick snack; whole-grain cereal with skim milk is another easily prepared breakfast choice. Fresh fruit can be stashed into a purse, briefcase or child's backpack for on-the-go consumption.

References

Article reviewed by Brigitte Espinet Last updated on: Jul 19, 2011

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