Most people are unaware that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. On rare occasions, people indulge in night meals; hence, the name suggests the breaking of the overnight period of fasting. As such, breakfast replenishes glucose supply to improve alertness and energy levels with an additional provision of essential nutrients needed for health benefits. Various studies exhibit the health advantages owed to taking breakfast. Some of the breakfast benefits include reducing risks associated with diabetes types, enhanced short-term concentration abilities, reduced risk for chronic diseases, and improved weight management. Thus, the paper addresses breakfast’s significance as the first meal of the day following the overnight fasting period.

I. Regular Intake of Breakfast Enhances Healthy Weight Management

Individuals who regularly take breakfast have a reduced risk for obesity. Studies show that average, those who take breakfast have reduced weight compared to others (Rani, Dharaiya, & Singh, 2021). Reasons being:

A. Thermogenesis Process Stimulates Body Metabolism

According to Rani (2021), the human body produces and spends energy when we take food for digestion, transportation, absorption, and nutrient storage. The process involved in the responsive nature of our metabolism is referred to as Diet-Induced-Thermogenesis (DIT). It varies depending on the mealtime. As such, research results from the University of Lubeck, Germany, exhibit that breakfast meals, irrespective of the calories contained, generate a more significant amount of DIT than dinnertime meals. Therefore, the research findings are important for all people since it indicates the significance of consuming enough breakfast meals.

B. There is High Metabolism of Morning Meals than Similar Meals in the Evening by the Body

A three-day lab study of 16 people having taken a low-calorie meal at breakfast and subsequent high-calorie meal at dinnertime and vice versa found that identical consumption of calories resulted in two-times greater DIT in the morning compared to evening hours following the intake of high and low-calorie meals. The meal-initiated rise in insulin and blood sugar concentrations reduces after breakfast than dinnertime. Subsequent results also showed that consuming a low-calorie meal at breakfast time leads to increased appetite, particularly for sweets. Therefore, the recommendation is that obese patients and healthy individuals should consume more breakfast meals than indulge in large dinnertime meals if they want to reduce their weight and manage their metabolic diseases, respectively.

C. Skipping Breakfast Leads to Overeating

The leading cause of excessive weight is overeating. Many individuals take the benefits of breakfast lightly. Some may skip or develop a culture of compensating for breakfast meals by eating a large amount of food later in the day because of increased appetite. Young people are more prone to skipping breakfast meals, with an average of 50 percent of young individuals between six and seven-year-olds not consuming breakfast meals regularly. Hence, avoiding breakfast is a common thing among teenagers, especially in developed countries. An energy deficit is created in skipping breakfast, resulting in overeating, consequently leading to high body weight. According to Rani et al., 2021, Americans who either missed or ate fat-rich, low-fiber meals in the morning displayed higher Body-Mass-Index (BMI) than those who took whole-grain meals following a long gap.

The table below exhibits another study on student’s distribution concerning BMI upon skipping breakfast. Noticeably, almost half (41.8 percent) were overweight students, with only 7.5 percent being underweight (Sofar, and El Hafeez, 2019).

Frequency Distribution of Students Regarding BMI. (n=306)

BMI	No.	%
Underweight (less than 18.50)	23	7.5
Normal weight (18.50-24.99)	91	29.7
Overweight (25-29.99)	128	41.8
Obese (30 and more)	64	20.9

A study conducted in Brazil to demonstrate the quality of nutrition among 1133 Brazilian teenagers (10 to 14-year-olds) while concentrating on morning meal habits showed that 16 percent never consumed breakfast meals on survey day and breakfast omission was common among obese children than non-obese ones (Rani et al., 2021). Additionally, children who studied in the morning skipped breakfast than those who attended afternoon lessons—skipping breakfast led to the weakness of postprandial insensitivity of insulin and fasting lipids, causing overeating and resulting in weight increase due to constant energy intake.

D. Vitamins and Minerals in Breakfast are Important for a Healthy Diet

Good breakfast meals have an abundance of critical nutrients, including high fiber and protein content, with micronutrients such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, vitamins B. Research indicates that meal preferences at breakfast and overall food habits developed when young strengthens the body as one ages. In a German research, it was observed that children who ate ready-to-eat cereals had a high nutrient intake compared to those who only consumed bread. Cereals are linked to improved nutrient intake with reduced associations with fats or sucrose. A healthy diet in the morning may mean eating foods low in glycemic load. As such, people may count on most fruits and vegetables, including legumes such as lentils, beans, or peas. Others include seeds and nuts and whole-grain foods with a reduced glycemic load. Most dietary breakfast meals in modern homes include a combination of plain yogurt, nuts, and fruits or nuts, fruits, and oatmeal.

II. Breakfast Improves Creativity

The correct intake of meals in the morning can lead to high creativity, especially in students and children. Keeping the blood sugar at a steady level is crucial in enhancing attention and focus. It helps boost creativity and short-term memory.

A. Breaks Sparks the Brain’s Performance

Eating meals with a low glycemic index (food with gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream) helps evade the energy lag that happens after consuming fastly-absorbed refined starches or sugars. A study conducted by Rizal et al., 2020, shows that morning meals with a low glycemic index improved the cognitive performance of an arithmetic task in students compared to high glycemic index foods at breakfast. These morning meals provide the essential nutrients and minerals that are converted into energy that fuels the brain for optimal performance, thereby exhibiting higher creativity.

III. Breakfast Improves Brain Functioning among Students and Children

As suggested by the name, breakfast is the meal taken after an overnight period of fasting. Individuals such as children and students should not prolong this fasting period by skipping or avoiding a healthy meal before play day or school day. Research shows that breakfast meals present higher sustenance of energy and greater cognitive performance in all humans with optimized abilities in schoolchildren.

A. Breakfast Levels the Blood Sugar

Evidence implies that when children or students take breakfast, it helps them learn faster. To break the overnight fast, these individuals with their developing body and brain must be supplied with fresh glucose, which helps in leveling their blood sugar. Glucose is the primary fuel for the brain with which optimizes its functions, including development. In the absence of glucose, these individuals do not function properly. They will have a challenge in grasping new concepts, difficulty with spatial and visual understanding, and may fail in recalling things. A study involving about 4,000 elementary students considered the effect of taking breakfast meals by giving them attention examinations (Norton, 2017). Tests were done on short-term memory and verbal fluency. Results showed that students who took breakfast meals performed better compared to the breakfast skippers. Therefore, breakfast helps children and students concentrate in preschool and school by meeting the kids’ vitamin and mineral requirements. Hence, they will have sufficient calcium, folic acid, fiber, and vitamin c, which also aid their development.

B. Better Memory

As aforementioned, a nutritious breakfast will afford children better cognitive development. According to Rani et al., 2021, eating breakfast meals enhances mental performance in young populations compared to breakfast avoidance. It is observed that there is increased cortisol levels promoting stress in breakfast-free day than when children consumed a cereal-based morning meal. Additionally, there were improved intellectual abilities or reasoning and exercise patterns witnessed on regular consumers of breakfast meals. Therefore, intake of breakfast foods helps enhance cognizance in relation to schoolwork performance (Rani et al., 2021). This also applies to speech fluency and test performance.

IV. Breakfast Influences Adolescents’ and Adults’ Behavior

Consumption of breakfast meals is related to the positive results for intake of micronutrients, diet quality, the status of body weight, and elements influencing lifestyle. Thus, intake of breakfast meals positively impacts children’s learning in relation to school, mental, and behavior performance. Nonetheless, the assertions are centered on evidence that illustrates the critical impacts of breakfast on cognitive performance. Thus, we examine the effects of breakfast on adolescents’ and adults’ behavior while considering other factors other than ideal breakfast. There are effects of breakfast on adolescents’ in-class behaviors and adults’ behavior, taking into account the different experiences.

A. Poor Decision-Making in Adults

As mentioned, breakfast is the critical meal taken following an overnight fast; nonetheless, the type of food taken significantly affects adults’ behavior in terms of judgment and decision-making. Thus, researchers say decision-making is dependent on the amount of protein and carbohydrates in breakfast food. People who consume high carbohydrate meals in the morning are likely to reject the unfair financial deal. Nevertheless, if they took a high protein and low carbohydrate meal for breakfast, they could take the unfear deal rather than go without anything. Study shows that, following consumption of a high carbohydrate meal, people lower amino acid (tyrosine) levels. Thus, tyrosine aids in producing dopamine- a chemical facilitating the reward system in the brain. The foods taken in the morning are crucial, and they are beneficial to both physical and social decisions.

B. Aggressive Behavior in Kids

Cross-sectional studies conducted among well-nourished adolescent children showed a significant relationship between regular intake of breakfast meals and behavior. The regular breakfast meal consumption was connected to less self-reported disruptive behavior in adolescents aged 14 years during class times (Adolphus, Lawton, and Dye, 2013). Those adolescents who eat breakfast meals for more than five days a week showed a significant reduction in disruptive behavior than those who consumed such meals in less than five days. Similarly, breakfast quality considering food group numbers played an important role within breaks meals and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores where high scores exhibited signified poor behavior in adolescents. Thus, a greater breakfast quality score reflected lesser CBCL externalizing scores of behavior showing negligence and aggression.

C. Sedentary Behavior in Adolescents

Skipping breakfast is highly associated with health-compromising or sedentary activities comprised of reduced levels of physical vigor. Such activities include increased screen time (television), use of computers, and video gaming. Research shows that boys who skipped breakfast were more likely to engage in these activities. Others include binge eating or mindless eating later in the day because of having missed breakfast because of the distractions associated with these activities. This behavior may result in a more severe outcome, such as food disorders. As they engage in sedentary activities like playing video games, they indulge in energy-dense foods, having skipped breakfast. These foods include savory snacks and sweetened beverages hence reduced consumption of healthy meals. Other sedentary behaviors include smoking and intake of alcohol among students. Research says boys are more likely to engage in smoking behaviors (Sofar, and El Hafeez, 2019).

D. Frustration and Less Focus in Adults

In missing breakfast meals, a glucose deficit occurs; hence insufficient glycogen in the liver is utilized to maintain the blood sugar levels. The body mitigates this by causing a rise in cortisol levels, resulting in stressful behavior with frustrations on non-significant things. Young adults in university usually experience decreased focus in class accompanied by feelings of headache. As such, adults tend to become more frustrated when they skip breakfast. Adults in traffics when going to their workplaces exhibit this behavior. About 50 percent of breakfast skippers will be frustrated with traffic lights. The attention span also falls, and they will tend to lose focus on their engagements.

References

Sofar, S., M., and El Hafeez, N., A. (2019). Relationsbetween Skipping Breakfast, AcademicPerformance and Body Mass Index among Undergraduate University Nursing Students. IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS), 8(4), 42. https://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jnhs/papers/vol8-issue4/Series-5/D0804053242.pdf

Adolphus, K., Lawton, C. L., & Dye, L. (2013). The effects of breakfast on behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 425.

Rani, R., Dharaiya, C. N., & Singh, B. (2021). Importance of not skipping breakfast: a review. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 56(1), 28-38.

Rizal, M., Taufiqurrahman, & Pengge, N. M. (2020). The Effect of Breakfast With Low Glycemic Index on Cognitive Ability in Indonesian High School Students. Nutrition Today, 55(6), 328–332.

Norton, A. (2017, June 12). Could your breakfast cloud your judgment? WebMD. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20170612/could-your-breakfast-cloud-your-judgment