17.11.2017 · 👁 2,227
Scientists explain why it's good to skip breakfast
The results of a small study by scientists from the Universities of Loughborough and Bedfordshire (UK) were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
It is commonly believed, and supported by scientific evidence, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because people who skip it tend to catch up and consume more calories during lunch, snacks and dinner, leading to excess weight and even obesity.
However, many children and adolescents regularly skip breakfast. The authors of the study decided to check how this affects the total number of calories consumed and the level of physical activity of adolescents. The study involved 40 girls aged 11 to 15 years. Some of them did not have breakfast twice for three days in a row, while the rest received a normal breakfast. The girls kept diaries where they wrote down what and in what quantities they ate during the day. In addition, the researchers monitored the participants' physical activity levels.
By skipping breakfast, the girls consumed more calories at lunch and dinner, but in total they consumed significantly fewer calories than if they had eaten breakfast. The lack of a morning meal had no effect on their physical activity.
The findings may cast doubt on whether breakfast can be used to control weight gain, the study authors said. Larger experiments are required to better understand this issue.