Start me up

Breakfast: the most important meal for the rest of your life

by Lisa Petty, BA, RNCP

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When babies come into the world, parents do their best to give them a good start. After weaning, we take the time to introduce foods slowly to be sure their little tummies can digest the new additions. We make sure they get their fruits and veggies, and we learn along the way that one of the best methods for keeping a child tantrum-free is to offer nutritious snacks throughout the day.

But as they approach kindergarten, it seems, we often lose focus on what kids need to get through the day with energy and enthusiasm. In fact, some numbers suggest that just over 50% of youngsters aged 6-11 have breakfast before they head off to school. More alarming is that an astonishing 42% of kids never eat breakfast, or have the morning meal only half the time.

It’s elementary
Kindergarten and the primary grades are not all fun and games. Between the ages of 6-8, children are learning the foundation skills for reading, writing and arithmetic that are built upon in later years. Problems with this development stage can have far-reaching consequences as the child gets into the older grades. Researchers have found that skipping breakfast has a noticeable impact on a young child’s ability to succeed in school, including challenges with problem-solving, short-term memory and attention. On the other hand, eating breakfast improves attention, problem-solving skills, math, and logical reasoning. Consistently eating breakfast also leads to improvements in psychological issues like hyperactivity and depression in children.

It also seems that children suffer more when it takes too long to break the overnight ‘fast.’ Our cells need a steady supply of energy to thrive. When food sources of fuel are used up, the back-up systems for energy production (metabolism) kick into gear. While this process is normal, it is in fact stressful, and is known as metabolic stress. Studies show that metabolic stress caused by the overnight period of not eating combined with a missed morning meal is much greater in younger children than older ones. This might occur because smaller children have a larger brain to liver ratio, and the brain uses a large percentage of energy produced by the liver. In fact, even without the stress that comes with learning, the brain may consume more than 50% of the glucose used in the whole body. As well, the amount of new glucose created in the body (not from glycogen) during periods of starvation or fasting depends on the muscle mass: the smaller the body, the less muscle mass.

Outside the classroom
The impact of skipping breakfast spills outside the classroom. Several studies show an association between skimping on breakfast or skipping it altogether with being overweight in childhood. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic: since 1978, the percentage of overweight and obese kids in Canada has increased from 15% to an astounding 26%.

When it comes to added pounds on little ones, we can’t just think of it as adorable baby-fat. A study in the Journal of Pediatrics reports that kids as young as 9 years old are experiencing higher blood pressure as well as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides – all of which are linked to heart disease. Findings also indicate that overweight girls were 11-30 times more likely to become obese young adults, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

As a result, many of our kids are deficient in a multitude of nutrients – and nutrient deficiencies are linked to everything from tooth decay and gum disease to muscle cramps, headache and food cravings. Chronic deficiencies can lead to serious conditions like osteoporosis.

Adolescents
Between 1965 and 1991, breakfast consumption declined nearly 20%, resulting in as few as 64% of adolescents consuming breakfast. Since the odds of becoming overweight are 51% greater for teens who skip breakfast, missing the morning meal could be a factor in one of the leading health concerns facing our teens. According to a 2004 report, the overweight rate of Canadian adolescents aged 12 to 17 more than doubled from 14% to 29% since 1978. The obesity rate in this age group tripled from 3% to 9% in the same period. It’s possible that passing on breakfast might trigger over-eating later in the day, leading to weight gain. Breakfast-skippers also tend to be the heaviest consumers of junk foods.

There’s more to consider as your teen walks out the door without breakfast, especially if your child’s moods go up and down like a roller-coaster. The International Journal of Food and Science reports that eating in the morning promotes alertness, contentment and positive mood. Kids who eat breakfast are also at reduced risk of developing eating disorders, which have also been on the rise in the last 50 years. Anorexia is now the leading cause of death in 15-24 year old females.

While it might seem obvious that breakfast eaters consume more milk products, bread, fruit and vegetables than non-eaters simply because they partake in another meal, researchers found that adolescent consumers of a good quality breakfast also had a better overall dietary pattern than skippers – meaning they generally make better food choices throughout the entire day.

All grown up
The benefits of breakfast don’t stop when we become adults, and is most evident with the connection to weight maintenance: people who regularly eat a meal shortly after rising have significantly lower body weight than those who skip breakfast. Not only did skipping breakfast cause women in a 2005 study to consume more daily calories, it also raised their cholesterol levels and diminished sensitivity to insulin. Since insulin is responsible for allowing glucose to enter cells, insulin insensitivity causes blood sugar levels to remain high. Insulin insensitivity can also lead to Type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Skipping breakfast frequently has also been connected to depression and perceived stress. Sadly, 40% of Canadian adults don’t eat a morning meal. Mimicking the results for children and teens, however, studies show that adults who eat breakfast get more nutrients like calcium, iron, fibre, folic acid, magnesium and potassium than those who don’t. And quality counts. Studies show that donuts and other confectionary snacks in the morning negatively affect long-term memory. It’s interesting to note that for over one quarter of Canadians between the ages of 31 and 50, snacking accounts for more calories than those taken at breakfast. In circular fashion, that statistic just might lead back to the weight maintenance benefits of having a good breakfast.

Time on your side
Half of surveyed Canadian breakfast-skippers reported they are too rushed in the mornings for breakfast. But quality breakfast choices take very little time to prepare. Whole grain cereal with milk provides a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals and takes but a moment to pour in the bowl. Add some fruit like raisins or chopped banana and feel the boost in your energy levels.

Bottom line? Don’t consider breakfast an optional meal; it is, in fact, part of your family’s long-term health plan. •

Breakfast Bite:
Skipping breakfast is linked to fatigue in college students.

Breakfast Bite:
Children who miss breakfast likely won’t meet their daily requirements for fruits and vegetables.

The balancing impact of breakfast on hormones
When we hear the word ‘hormone’, our minds often jump to estrogen and testosterone. Although these hormones tend to get most of the attention they are actually minor players in the hormone symphony. The orchestra is conducted by the major hormones such as insulin and cortisol, which strongly influence how the others react. The reactions can be quite serious if hormones are out of balance. And for many Canadians, they are.

Defining hormone roles
Estrogen preserves bone density, collagen formation, and heart health. On the flipside, when it gets out of balance with other hormones like progesterone, it can send women on a wild ride that leads to mood swings, hot flashes, and weight gain.

With the onset of perimenopause, there’s a decrease in progesterone production, tipping the hormone balance in favour of estrogen. When estrogen dominates, insulin is released rapidly and more frequently, causing sugar cravings. Succumbing to the call of the cookie leads to even more insulin entering the bloodstream, and the vicious cycle continues. Eventually, our bodies produce too much insulin, signaling the cells to hold onto fat instead of using it for energy. And guess what? Those extra fat cells are little estrogen factories which fuel an endless cycle of weight gain at menopause.

Breakfast Bite:
When boys skip breakfast, they experience more mental stress and problems with academic performance than girls.

Breakfast Bite:
Breakfast eaters take in more daily calories than those who skip breakfast, but are less likely to be overweight.

With cells no longer responding to insulin, blood glucose levels remain unchecked and can trigger heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and eye problems. And when the cells stop responding to glucose, the liver must convert it to fat. At the same time that insulin-resistant bodies accumulate fat, cells are actually starved for glucose – leading to fatigue that sends us in search of more carbohydrates for energy. Syndrome X is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, and some experts predict that it affects nearly 25% of Canadians whether they know it or not. Studies show that having breakfast boosts the effectiveness of insulin.

Not insulin alone
When we experience stressful situations the adrenal glands produce hormones, like cortisol, to help us cope. Unfortunately, excess cortisol has been linked to increased insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance. Chronic stress also causes the adrenal glands to work non-stop, and eventually they become exhausted. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is often triggered by too much time between meals, and is also a factor in adrenal exhaustion. Exhausted adrenals have been linked to everything from weight gain around the middle to low energy and junk food cravings. Numerous studies show that breakfast helps to reduce stress levels as measured by salivary cortisol. Reducing cortisol also gives your adrenal glands a break. Not to be left out, thyroid hormones are also essential in maintaining a healthy metabolism, and because all of our hormones work in tandem, fluctuations in both adrenal and thyroid hormones have also been connected to insulin resistance – even for thin women.

Hormones for breakfast?
In recent years, researchers have started to uncover the important influence of the hormones ghrelin and leptin on metabolism and weight maintenance. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite, while leptin helps to decrease appetite and trigger fat-burning. Sadly, cells can become resistant to leptin in the same fashion they become resistant to insulin. Hormone changes in pregnancy and excess insulin (caused by a diet high in processed and sugary foods) are two known causes for leptin resistance.

To increase leptin production, eat breakfast within an hour of waking. Avoid processed carbohydrates that quickly convert to sugar. Instead, include a source of essential fats from nuts, seeds and avocado, and be sure to add some fibre. Protein for breakfast also helps to decrease ghrelin concentrations, helping you to feel full longer.

Breakfast Bite:
Those who eat breakfast drink less alcohol and are less likely to smoke.

Breakfast solutions for busy mornings

With approximately 20% of Canadians reporting they just don’t have time in the morning for breakfast, it’s important to find meal ideas that are fast as well as nutritious. Happily, it’s not as difficult as it might seem.

Long the staple of the morning meal, ready-to-eat cereals are actually a good choice – if you choose well. Targeted to young children, high sugar/low fibre cereals made with white flour likely do more harm than good. Stripped of its bran and wheat germ, white flour contains only 13% of the chromium, 19% of the iron, and 9% of the manganese found in whole wheat. And since many of the B vitamins are concentrated in the outer parts of the grain, white flour is also deficient in B vitamins. High in simple carbohydrates and low in fibre, sugary breakfast cereals also rank high on the glycemic index (GI.) In fact, some sugary cereals contain between 46% and 53% sugar!

Studies show that low GI cereals made with complex carbohydrates from whole grains, on the other hand, help kids maintain mental performance throughout the morning. Compared to high GI cereals, in fact, the whole grain cereals are much better at preventing declining attention in students. And cold cereal isn’t the only option. A 2005 study concluded that oatmeal is an excellent choice for younger children, for the very reason that it provides a slower and more sustained energy source than low-fibre cereals.

Take your whole-grains to-go with home-made muffins you keep in the freezer. By making them yourself, you control the amount of fat and sugar. Pop a muffin in your bag along with a low-fat, sugar-free yogurt to eat on your way to school or work.

Power up with protein
Protein foods cause a release of CCK, one of the main appetite-regulating hormones. When you eat protein in the morning you’ll not only feel full longer, but you’ll also be well on your way to hitting your daily protein target – where many of us, particularly women, fall short. Pouring some milk on your cereal is a good start, but you can also have scrambled eggs in a whole grain pita. Add a layer of almond butter or other nut butter to a whole grain bagel, or enjoy a scoop of cottage cheese with berries or your favourite fruit.

Forget the fat
High fat breakfasts might taste better, but are less filling and lead to increased food intake later on, so leave the donuts and pastries on the table. Studies show that eating sugary snacks in the morning hampers memory. To boost your intake of metabolism-boosting healthy fats, try salmon or avocado on a slice of whole grain toast.

Do away with white food
The more processed our food is, the more insulin we need to metabolize it. White bread, pasta, rice and cereals readily convert to sugar and cause an immediate need for insulin. Give insulin a rest by opting for fresh fruits like avocado, nuts, seeds and whole grains – especially at breakfast. •