There’s a reason why people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research shows that those who eat breakfast every day are more likely to maintain a healthier weight.
A study compared the body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood lipid profile and waist circumference of 1,558 children, aged four to eight. The researchers in Cyprus found that girls who ate breakfast every day were less likely to be overweight or obese. Boys did not follow the same pattern, probably because they have higher physical activity levels than girls. Even those girls drinking milk alone for breakfast – including low fat, skimmed, full fat, and chocolate – were found less likely to be overweight.
So can you solely drink milk each morning and expect not to be overweight? Of course not. It’s not necessarily about what is being consumed, but more about when you are consuming it. Obviously you still want to eat a healthy meal, but the fact that you’re starting your body off on the right foot each day by simply having breakfast is beneficial in itself.
Tel Aviv University researchers found that when you eat has a big impact on the way your body processes food.
Those who eat their largest daily meal at breakfast are far more likely to lose weight and waist line circumference than those who eat a large dinner. Also those who eat a larger breakfast have significantly lower levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides throughout the day, translating into a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.
These findings suggest that people should adopt a well thought-out meal schedule, in addition to proper nutrition and exercise, to optimize weight loss and general health. Eating the right foods at the wrong times can potentially not only slow down weight loss, but it can also be harmful.
So tell us, are you satisfied with your eating schedule? What do you do each morning to ensure your body is getting what it needs?
References:
Papoustsou, S. et al.The combination of daily breakfast consumption and optimal breakfast choices in childhood is an important public health message. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2013.854750
Daniela J., et al. High Caloric intake at breakfast vs. dinner differentially influences weight loss of overweight and obese women. Obesity, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/oby.20460
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