Skipping breakfast could trigger childhood obesity and set girls up for body image issues, experts flag

08 Sep 2023 --- Due to the controversial nature of claiming that skipping breakfast is a catalyst for obesity in children, researchers from Zhengzhou University conducted a meta-analysis of the effect of skipping breakfast on rates of overweight in this demographic.

The results show that children and adolescents who skipped breakfast had a “significantly higher prevalence of obesity or overweight than those who ate breakfast.” Skipping breakfast is deep-rooted in body image issues, primarily affecting young girls who skip this meal to maintain a thin or overly thin body as a beauty standard.

Cultural perceptions about eating and weight play a major role in whether children embrace breakfast eating, what they eat and in which quantities. The development of these habits is also closely linked to the parents’ habits.

Another study published in Cell Metabolism found that eating a large breakfast was beneficial for appetite control, which plays a central role in weight management but did not affect metabolism. The research funded by the Medical Research Council found that the same amount of calories were burned independent of the time of day consumed. 

Healthy weight begins with breakfast
The researchers pulled literature from Cochrane, PubMed and Embase databases, gathering 40 retrospective studies of 323,244 children from two to 20 years old. The results were published in Frontiers in Nutrition, the nutritional epidemiology section.

Through the analysis, the researchers deduced that children who do not eat breakfast have elevated daily energy fat intake, reduced protein, vitamins and minerals intake and an enhanced appetite for fat from snacks. The craving for fat-rich snacks leads to “higher total plasma cholesterol levels.”

Cooked breakfast cereals have been shown to significantly reduce the body mass index over meat, eggs and dairy-styled breakfasts. Several studies made the connection between a high prevalence of overweight in those who did not eat breakfast cereals compared with those who did. Breakfast habits have a direct impact on weight later in life.  

The research analysis found that children who eat breakfast consume more energy, carbohydrates and fiber. Fat accounts for a lower percentage of total calories in these people, who also seem more active during the day.

Eating breakfast has also been associated with improved learning performance, improved cognition, a decrease in tardiness, absenteeism and psychosocial problems. Breakfast is considered an essential preventive measure against obesity and being overweight.

Myths about body image
Girls have a predisposition to obesity when they are exposed to high sugar and undernutrition in utero, which leads to disrupted glucose homeostasis, a precursor for obesity. In addition, dietary intake is rigged by cultural perspectives on being thin and the subsequent beauty ideals.

The research analysis focused on gender to determine the different impacts of breakfast on the various demographics. Girls are also more likely to skip breakfast than boys. The scientific literature shows that skipping breakfast has a statistically significant effect on obesity in girls, while this correlation cannot be made for boys skipping breakfast. In addition, middle school girls who skip breakfast participate less in physical activity. 

Poor socio-economic status can be a reason for children skipping breakfast. Moreover, children who watch much TV or are behind the computer screen for long periods participate less in physical activities and can develop obesity. 

Different social environments, various development levels, school breakfast provision and cultural differences affect how overweight a population or demographic becomes. One study of children between 9 and 16 years across 12 countries found significant differences in Australia, Finland and Kenya.

Another study found that skipping breakfast resulted in a 75% increase in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in the Asia-Pacific region, possibly higher in rural children.

Meanwhile, teenagers in Europe and North America increasingly underestimate their body weight, according to a team of international researchers. The study found that the actual body weight and its misperception are increasing, adding to the existing public health crisis of obesity, diabetes and overweight.

By Inga de Jong