Breakfast is celebrated by many The most important meal of the day.
If it’s to keep kids happy in school, that’s entirely possible. A study of nearly 150,000 children and adolescents worldwide found that those who eat breakfast reported higher life satisfaction than those who skip meals.
Participants were aged between 10 and 17 and came from 42 countries, including Russia, England, Scotland, Canada and many other countries in Europe and the Middle East.
The survey asked participants, “How often do you usually have breakfast (at least one glass of milk or fruit juice)?” and asked them to answer the question both on school days and on weekends.
Subjects were then asked to rate their perceived quality of life on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 representing the “best possible quality of life” and 0 representing the “worst possible quality of life.”
When the anonymous survey results were plotted on a graph, with breakfast frequency on one axis and perceptions of quality of life on the other, a roughly straight line appeared between the data points.
The results emerged after the international research team took into account possible factors such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, fruit and vegetable intake, sweets intake, frequency of family meals, physical activity and body mass index.
The largest group of participants reported eating breakfast every day, including school days and weekends. This group received the highest life satisfaction scores, with an average of 6.3 to 6.6 points.
At the bottom were those who did not eat breakfast at all, who had the lowest average life satisfaction scores of 5.5 to 5.8 points.
“The results show some inconsistencies across countries, which may be influenced by diverse cultural, lifestyle and socio-economic factors.” Notes The lead author is Lee Smith, an epidemiologist at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK.
“Despite this, our findings show that across all countries studied, people who eat breakfast every day report higher overall life satisfaction than those who skip breakfast at all.”
The findings of this study are: study A study of more than 70,000 Australian children found that skipping breakfast was associated with lower life satisfaction among boys and girls aged 8 to 18.
It is unclear whether this association is due to skipping breakfast or all meals. But more than that Specificthe study A nutritious breakfast is good for your mental health and Improved physical health, including improved memory, cognitive function, and physical activity.
It’s important to note that the results are based on association studies, which means that eating breakfast in itself may not necessarily be the cause. Reasons for skipping breakfast It also causes other adverse effects.
but, study A South Korean study found that eating breakfast more frequently was associated with improved “physical” symptoms such as breathing rate, fatigue and sleep quality.It also reduces symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, headache, and fever.
And these perks may not just apply to young people.
In 2022, Meta-analysis Skipping breakfast was found to be positively associated with increased risk of depression, stress, and psychological distress. all It is aimed at all age groups, but especially those under 18 years of age.
“The scientific literature has consistently highlighted the association between breakfast skipping and negative mood in adolescents.” write Lead author José Francisco López Gil and colleagues.
“Despite this, the association between breakfast frequency and life satisfaction among adolescents has not been widely studied.”
As a result, no one knows why breakfast is so closely linked to adolescents’ moods.
“Eating a good breakfast provides the energy and nutrients needed for optimal cognitive function, improving concentration, memory and learning.” explain Smith.
“Another reason is the combination of vitamins and minerals you get from a daily breakfast. Not consuming these regularly can lead to a decline in life satisfaction over time. A regular routine that includes breakfast brings structure and positive vibes to the rest of your day.”
This is one of those foods that young people never eat.
This study BMC Nutrition Journal.
