Sorry Mom! Scientists Prove That Breakfast Is Not The Most Important Meal Of The Day
Well, now you can turn around and tell them that they're categorically wrong, and researchers have scientific proof of it.
The BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal, recently published a study composed of 13 controlled trials, carried out by researchers at the Monash University in Australia. They found that, contrary to the popular myth, ensuring you eat breakfast "might not be a good strategy for weight loss." In fact, they say eating breakfast could actually result in adults consuming more calories through the day. Crucially, BMJ found no metabolic differences between those that consumed breakfast daily and those that didn't.
So where does the age-old saying come from then? As it turns out, that myth was spawned by American breakfast cereal companies. A 2003 study that supposedly found skipping breakfast to "not be an effective way to manage weight" was paid for by Kellogg's. You know, the guys that make Corn Flakes, Frosties, and Chocos. The study also claimed that "eating cereal or quick breads for breakfast is associated with significantly lower body mass index compared to skipping breakfast or eating meats and/or eggs for breakfast."
That wasn't the end of it either. Another similar study from 2014 claimed that skipping breakfast actually does encourage weight loss, but increases cholesterol levels. And that study was funded by Quaker Oats. According to Marion Nestle, a nutrition researcher, "Many-if not most-studies demonstrating that breakfast eaters are healthier and manage weight better than non-breakfast eaters were sponsored by Kellogg or other breakfast cereal companies whose businesses depend on people believing that breakfast means ready-to-eat cereal."
That's great news for those of you office workers that can never find time in the morning to whip up a balanced breakfast. Of course, there are some caveats here left by the report.
For one thing, they haven't necessarily said that breakfast is bad either, you probably just don't want to fill your belly with cereal or bread. Try fruit instead, or perhaps a tiny quantity of protein. And certainly don't eat early in the morning if you're not really hungry.