Healthy day start Regular breakfast protects children from being overweight

Healthy breakfast protects children from obesity and diabetes
A healthy breakfast gives the body the energy for a positive start to the day. Due to the morning food intake, the empty batteries are recharged and the ability to concentrate increases. Especially for children, the first meal of the day is important. The regular breakfast can protect you from overweight and diabetes.

Every third schoolchild leaves home without breakfast
The question of whether eating breakfast is better than just taking a bite in the morning, is not for many people in this country. Because about one third of all schoolchildren between the ages of eleven and 15 years in Germany go out every morning without breakfast. These are the findings of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study 2016) published by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. It can also protect children from obesity and diabetes.

Many school children leave the house without breakfast. The morning meal is the most important of the day. It can even protect the little ones from obesity and diabetes. (Image: Monkey Business / fotolia.com)

Essential component for a healthy start to the day
Especially for children and adolescents, breakfast is an essential building block for a healthy start to the day. You need a balanced morning meal for your physical and mental development. This is pointed out by diabetesDE - German Diabetes Aid.

According to the experts, numerous studies have shown that frequent omission of the morning meal promotes the development of obesity, which in turn may favor the development of type 2 diabetes.

"Children and adolescents who regularly start the day with a balanced morning meal have a healthier lifestyle overall and are more productive," explains Dr. Jens Kroeger, CEO of diabetesDE - German Diabetes Aid.

This too has been proven in scientific studies. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) have found in a study that schoolchildren who eat breakfast bring more power.

And scientists from Cardiff University in Wales have shown that having a healthy breakfast improves grades at school.

"Linking our results to real-world performance data has allowed us to provide robust evidence of a link between eating breakfast and good school performance," said co-author of the study. Graham Moore in a message.

Less and less time for a balanced breakfast
But less and less children take time for a balanced and healthy breakfast in the morning before school. According to the HBSC study, the proportion of children who eat breakfast daily also decreases with age.

While in the 11-year-olds still 68 percent of girls and 72 percent of boys eat breakfast, the 15-year-olds are only 52 or 59 percent.

However, the right diet at the beginning of the day creates the ideal conditions for learning, concentration and information acquisition and reproduction.

Whole grains and vegetables
"For the first meal of the day are particularly full grain products and crunchy vegetables or fresh fruit and unsweetened dairy products," said Kröger.

They lead to a better memory and reaction through a slow and prolonged increase in blood sugar.

Too low a level of blood sugar occurs when children either eat nothing at school or during breaks, or eat only white flour and sweets, for example.

These are rich in carbohydrates and low in fiber, cause the blood sugar level to rise quickly, but to drop just as quickly. The result is lack of performance.

"The child's brain, however, constantly needs energy to handle a whole school day," Kröger explains. "In addition, exactly at this age form the long-term eating habits that are so important for the subsequent maintenance of health," emphasizes the diabetologist.

The best thirst quencher is water
During school break, a snack that is ideally carbohydrate-, fiber- and vitamin-rich also helps to maintain the efficiency until lunch. In addition, children should not only eat adequate and healthy, but also drink.

The best thirst quenchers at breakfast and during school breaks are still water, in the ratio 2: 1 diluted with water fruit juices (spritzers) and unsweetened herbal or fruit teas.

"Drinks with sweetened juices, lemonade or high-fat milkshakes are unsuitable due to their high sugar content," says Kröger.

Sweets and snacks such as cakes, chocolate, biscuits, gummy bears and chips are just as little in the bag. Because they also contain too much sugar and fat and are only filling for a short time. (Ad)