Breakfast ‘results in better diet’ for teens

Long recognised as the foundation of a productive day, eating breakfast can also have a positive effect on the dietary habits of adolescents, according to new research.

A team from America’s University of Texas have completed a comprehensive trial of breakfast habits in teenagers.

Looking at older teenagers who normally skip their breakfast, it was found that adding back in a first meal of the day can result in better general dietary habits.

Another finding of the six-month trial was that a high-protein breakfast – such as a Greek yogurt bowl with cereal and dark robust ample syrup – resulted in the biggest gains.

The study concluded:

“Breakfast consumption increased intake of most nutrients of public health concern and reduced intake of high-fat and/or high-sugar foods among habitual breakfast-skipping adolescents, with additional benefits observed when consuming higher-protein breakfasts.”

Researchers noted that teenagers who had breakfast went on to consume fewer calories from sweets and desserts during the rest of the day, compared to those who had skipped breakfast.

The study looked at the eating habits of 128 adolescents aged between 14 and 21, who skipped breakfast six times per week or more. The researchers prepared over 18,000 meals themselves to provide to the trial participants, including breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs and smoothies. They were divided into normal protein and high protein options.

Plans are already afoot for the researcher’s next study – a look at the way in which dietary protein at breakfast affects how people think about food, and the cravings they have.