A study shows that children who skip breakfast have lower life satisfaction compared to those who regularly eat a morning meal.
The research, led by England’s Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Mexico’s Universidad de las Americas, involved nearly 150,000 10- to 17-year-olds from 42 countries, including the UK.
The study was published in BMC Nutrition Journal.
The results of the study indicated an almost linear relationship between the frequency of breakfast consumption and life satisfaction, with the highest life satisfaction observed in participants who ate breakfast daily and the lowest satisfaction in children who skipped breakfast.
Children who miss breakfast have low life satisfaction
Of the 42 countries studied, children in Portugal who ate breakfast every day had the highest levels of life satisfaction. In contrast, the lowest life satisfaction scores were found in Romanian children who never ate breakfast, also suggesting socio-economic factors as potential influences on the results.
For children who ate breakfast daily, children in England had the fifth lowest average life satisfaction score, ahead only of those in Romania, Hungary, Germany and Austria.
“Our study was large and found a consistent association between breakfast frequency and life satisfaction, with several possible reasons for this. Previous studies have shown low mood among teenagers who skipped breakfast, and also a higher frequency of anxiety, stress and depression,” explained Professor Lee Smith, lead author and professor of public health at the ARU .
“Additionally, eating a proper breakfast provides the energy and nutrients needed for optimal cognitive functioning and improves focus, memory and learning,” Smith continues, Quote from Medical Xpress.
A source of vitamins and minerals
“Another reason could be the mix of vitamins and minerals we get from our daily breakfast, and regularly missing them can lead to lower life satisfaction over time. A regular routine that includes breakfast can also bring structure and a positive tone to the rest of the day,” he adds.
“The results showed some inconsistencies between countries, which could be influenced by diverse cultures and lifestyles, as well as socio-economic factors. However, our results show that in all countries examined, reported life satisfaction is generally higher in those who eat breakfast daily than in those who never eat breakfast,” concludes the professor.
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Source: www.descopera.ro
