Breakfast and body weight

A new study from the Netherlands shows that teens who skip breakfast are twice as likely to be overweight as their counterparts who routinely eat breakfast (Skipping breakfast, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity as risk factors for overweight and obesity in adolescents: results of the E-MOVO project") . This study confirms what numerous other researchers have also found: people who eat breakfast weigh less than breakfast skippers.

I grew up eating breakfast every day, along with my mom, dad, and sisters. I thought everybody ate breakfast, because everyone I knew DID eat first thing in the morning. When I stayed at my grandparents' farm I would wake up in the morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. When we traveled, my sisters and I loved acting grown up and going to breakfast in the motel dining room by oursevles while our parents slept in.

I even ate breakfast every day while I was in college. While most of my classmates were sleeping, I would get up early to go to breakfast. I just didn't feel right if I skipped that first meal of the day.

My kids, now teenagers, always eat breakfast as well. On mornings they say they don't have time for breakfast, I make them oatmeal or a Carnation Instant Breakfast smoothie (I add frozen fruit and/or a banana) that they can quickly eat before they head out the door. Neither one is overweight, but that's also due to genetics, a history of activity, and overall good eating habits. It will be interesting to see if they continue their breakfast habits once they leave home.

Breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast food. A peanut butter sandwich starts the morning just as well as a bowl of cereal. Experiment with different options and find the one that works best for you.