Breakfast Cereal consumption could help reduce weight

12/09/05 A new study suggests that women who consume cereal for breakfast tend to weigh less than their peers who opt for other breakfast foods or who skip the meal altogether.

Whether cereal directly lends a hand in weight control is unclear, but the study authors speculate that the fibre, vitamins and minerals in many boxed cereals may play a role.

Also unknown is why the potential benefit was limited to women. Among men, neither breakfast cereal nor breakfast consumption in general had an impact on weight.

Dr Won O Song, of Michigan State University in East Lansing, and her colleagues report the findings in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The researchers based their findings on results from a national health and nutrition survey conducted by US health officials in 1999-2000.

It's not possible to conclude from this study that cereal, per se, helps in weight control, according to Song and her colleagues. Still, they note that compared with other breakfast eaters, cereal fans ate more fibre and less fat -- a dietary pattern that has been linked to better weight control.

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