A healthy breakfast for kids helps everybody start the day right. Ready-to-eat cereals, low-fat yogurt, whole grain toast and fruit are just a few of the many choices for a nutritious breakfast. You might be surprised at all the benefits a healthy breakfast can provide.
Interesting Facts About the Importance of Breakfast
- Breakfast skippers are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI) than breakfast eaters. 1
- Breakfast eaters tend to have better nutrient intakes.1, 2-4
- On average, breakfast contributes less than 20 percent of daily calories, while delivering more than 30 percent of needed calcium, iron and B vitamins.5
- People who eat breakfast tend to consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber over the course of their day.3,6,7
- Nutrients missed at breakfast, namely calcium, fiber, and certain vitamins and minerals, are rarely made up for during the day. 6-8
- Kids who eat a healthy breakfast tend to perform better in school and have fewer disciplinary problems. Breakfast also tends to help kids stay alert.9-11
1 Cho S et al. The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and body mass index: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). J Am Coll Nutr 2003;22(4):296-302
2 Timlin et al. Breakfast frequency and quality in the etiology of adult obesity and chronic diseases. Nutr Rev2007;65:268-281.
3 Barton BA et al. The relationship of breakfast and cereal consumption to nutrient intake and body mass index: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study. J Am Diet Assoc 2005;105:1383-1389.
4 Song WO et al. Is consumption of breakfast associated with Body Mass Index in U.S. adults? J Am Diet Assoc 2005;105:1373-1382.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [2005-06].
6 Rampersaud et al. Breakfast Habits, Nutritional status, body weight and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:743-760.
7 Nicklas TA et al. Nutrient contribution of breakfast, secular trends, and the role of cereals: A review of data from the Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998;67:757S-63S.
8 Morgan KJ et al. The role of breakfast in diet adequacy of U.S. adult population. J Am Coll Nutr. 1986;5:551-563.
9 Murphy JM et al. The Relationship of School Breakfast to Psychosocial and Academic Functioning: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Observations in an inner-city School Sample. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:899-907.
10 Wahlstrom KL and Begalle MS. More than test scores: Results of the universal school breakfast pilot in Minnesota. Top Clin Nutr. 1999;(1):17-29.
11 Wesnes KA et al. Breakfast reduces declines in attention and memory over the morning in schoolchildren. Appetite. 2003;41:329-331.