‘Breakfast’- Improves Learning at School

We all have heard about the importance of breakfast, as the most important meal of the day. But how many of us seriously realize this and take breakfast?  It is a necessity for the body for refueling it needs after a long break of 6-10 hours of break. Breakfast kick-starts the body's metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.

The school going children even seldom realize this.  They are the worst hit of not having breakfast. They underestimate the value of breakfast. They may only have a glass of juice or a cup of coffee and eat nothing at all. However, research has shown that this type of routine is not the best habit to get into. Eating a substantial meal within the first few hours of waking up is much healthier for all of us.

Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities. Breakfast helps improve mental performance and concentration during morning activities. Children who skip breakfast will be more sluggish, less attentive, and have less energy to carry out their morning tasks. Teachers observe that children who come to school hungry experience more learning difficulties compared to well-nourished children. Studies show that breakfast eaters perform much better in their school work and show extra energy in sports and other physical activities. Besides assuring optimal development and growth, positive effects on alertness, attention, performance on standardized achievement tests, and other skills important for academic success are enhanced for those who eat breakfast on a daily basis. 

Breakfast also can help keep kids' weight in check. Also, people who don't eat breakfast often consume more calories throughout the day and are more likely to be overweight. That's because someone who skips breakfast is likely to get famished before lunchtime and snack on high-calorie foods or overeat at lunch. A six-year study compared the mental and physical efficiency of a group of adults throughout the day, some of whom ate healthy nutritious breakfasts while others did not.

When compared to those who ate breakfast, the people who did not became less efficient as the day went on. Their productivity improved after eating lunch, but by the end of the day their work completion was slower than those who had eaten breakfast. For children, a good breakfast is even more important. Children who do not eat a good breakfast become tired in school and have shorter attention spans, especially late in the morning. In one study, test scores of children who did not eat breakfast were generally lower than those who had eaten a well-balanced morning meal. Another good reason to make sure that children have a balanced breakfast is that four out of five children do not get enough vitamins and minerals from lunch and dinner alone. By adding breakfast, children are more likely to get the vitamins and minerals they need. Also, children who don’t eat a good breakfast tend to eat more junk food during the day -- snacks that are high in fat and sugar and low in nutritional value.

Breakfast Brain Power

Now that we know that it’s important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what they eat in the morning is crucial too. Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein while low in added sugar may boost kids' attention span, concentration, and memory — which they need to learn in school.

Kids who eat breakfast are more likely to get fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients. They also tend to keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels and fewer absences from school, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger

Breakfast and weight loss – what is the connection?

Some teenagers choose to skip breakfast as a means to lose weight. However, skipping breakfast actually makes people more likely to snack throughout the day and eat a larger meal at lunch and dinner. As a result, skipping breakfast may cause weight gain by making them eat excessively later in the day.   High-fibre, carbohydrate-rich breakfasts help kids feel full longer thus they may snack less. 

A good breakfast should include nutritious foods from three of the four food groups.

Whole-grain bread or cereal, fruit, milk, yogurt, or eggs are good breakfast options.  For children older than two years, 1% low-fat milk or non-fat milk is a good beverage to include with breakfast. If your child doesn’t enjoy the types of foods generally associated with breakfast, consider a sandwich or a serving of leftovers that may appeal to him more.

Some foods might surprise you. For example, many toaster waffles are actually quite low in fat. Top them with some fresh fruit, add a glass of low-fat milk and you have a quick and easy breakfast that combines good taste and good nutrition. The point of breakfast is to feed your child’s body the protein and energy it needs to start the day and to carry him through to lunch. Of course, children often learn most by example, so it's important for parents to set a good example and have a nutritious breakfast each day too.

Breakfast Ideas to Try

The morning meal doesn't have to be all about traditional breakfast items. You can mix it up to include different foods, even the leftovers from last night's dinner, and still provide the nutrients and energy kids need for the day. Try to serve a balanced breakfast that includes some carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. Carbs are a good source of immediate energy for the body. Energy from protein tends to kick in after the carbs are used up. Fiber helps provide a feeling of fullness and, therefore, discourages overeating. And when combined with heathy drinks, fiber helps move food through the digestive system, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.

Suggestions to get children to eat breakfast each morning:

• Mixing a variety of healthy cereals, especially those that are lower in sugar, are a good source of carbohydrate and fibre for children. In addition, skim or 1% milk supplies needed calcium and protein. 
• If pressed for time in the morning, try cutting up fruit the night before, so it’s ready to add to cereal or yogurt
• Breakfast doesn't have to be limited to cereal or toast. A whole-wheat English muffin with mozzarella and tomato sauce or an omelette with vegetables may seem unconventional to parents, but if a child enjoys it, it can be a healthy choice.
• whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk topped with fruit
• whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter or ricotta cheese and fruit
• whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced hard-cooked eggs
• hot cereal topped with nuts or fruit sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves
• half a whole-grain bagel topped with peanut butter and fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges) and low-fat milk
• breakfast smoothie (low-fat milk or yogurt, fruit, and teaspoon of bran, whirled in a blender)
• vegetable omelet with whole-wheat toast
• bran muffin and berries
• sliced cucumbers and hummus in a whole-wheat pita
• lean turkey and tomato on a toasted English muffin
• heated leftover rice with chopped apples, nuts, and cinnamon
• low-fat cream cheese and fresh fruit, such as sliced strawberries, on whole-grain bread or half a whole-grain bagel
• shredded cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, folded in half and microwaved for 20 seconds and topped with salsa

And don't forget how important your good example is. Let your kids see you making time to enjoy breakfast every day. Even if you just wash down some whole-wheat toast and a banana with a glass of juice or milk, you're showing how important it is to face the day only after refueling your brain and body with a healthy morning meal.

Ref: Dietitians Association of Australia, (2009), Breakfast, viewed 29 November 2010

The author of this article is Asst.Professor, Pioneer Institute of Professional Studies, Indore