QUESTION: SO, WHY ARE KIDS SKIPPING BREAKFAST? WHY IS IT SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM?

It is surprising how many kids go to school on an empty stomach. You've heard the stats: almost one-third of elementary school students don't eat breakfast daily. And the older children get, the more likely they are to stray from the morning meal. Some kids miss breakfast because they run out of time after sleeping too late. Others say they don't feel like eating first thing in the morning. Some teenagers forgo breakfast as means to lose weight. Other obstacles to eating breakfast include the morning time crunch, long bus rides to school and lack of parental supervision at breakfast.

QUESTION: WHAT'S THE OVERALL IMPACT? HOW DOES SKIPPING BREAKFAST AFFECT SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, WEIGHT, HEALTH?

Research shows that academic performance suffers when breakfast is missed. Kids who arrive at school with an empty stomach tend to be more sluggish, less attentive, have less energy for morning activities and experience more learning difficulties compared to their well nourished peers. The memory-enhancing effect of breakfast is thought to be due to glucose, a simple sugar supplied to the brain from carbohydrate-rich foods like cereal, toast, fruit, milk and yogurt. The brain relies almost exclusively on glucose for fuel. Since the brain's energy stores are extremely small, it needs a continuous supply of glucose. Without it, the brain's fuel tank would be drained within 10 to 15 minutes.

Eating breakfast benefits kids in other ways too. Breakfast eaters are more likely to meet daily targets for dietary fibre, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron and zinc. Without breakfast, it's hard for kids to make up for these missing nutrients later in the day. Starting the day with breakfast may also help children control their weight. A 2005 study of 2,379 girls aged 9 and 10 years, revealed that girls who ate breakfast everyday had a lower body mass index compared to girls who skipped breakfast. Cereal eaters, in particular, were found to have the lowest body mass index. (BMI is calculated as your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters.)

Eating breakfast kicks starts a child's metabolism after a night of fasting and prevents kids from getting too hungry before lunch. Breakfast eaters are more likely to have a structured eating pattern during the day and are less likely to snack on empty calorie foods. The weight control powers of cereal may lie in its fibre content and the healthy, lower-calorie foods that surround it such as low fat milk and fruit.

QUESTION: AND SO HOW CRUCIAL ARE SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE?

Very important. Skipping breakfast is a common problem for many kids and programs like this one help to ensure that a child is well fueled to meet the physical and mental challenges of his day. It also helps kids learn about the benefits of healthy eating and that good nutrition can be fun too.

QUESTION: TELL US WHAT KIDS SHOULD BE EATING FOR BREAKFAST, IDEALLY...

To supply kid's with the energy and nutrients needed for an active school day, breakfast should include foods from three or four of the food groups - whole grains, milk and alternatives, fruit, and Meat and Alternatives. Breakfast should always include one serving of fruit or vegetables to give kids a head start on meeting their minimum five daily servings. Here are some quick breakfast ideas for meals at home:

  • Bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds and low fat yogurt.
  • Bowl of ready-to-eat cereal, chopped banana, walnut pieces and low fat milk or soy milk. Read labels: choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fibre and no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving. 100 percent bran cereals and those with dried fruit are exceptions to the sugar cut off.
  • Whole grain toaster waffles topped with fruit, vanilla yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup (look for brands that are trans fat free).
  • Scrambled eggs, salsa and grated cheese wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla served with fresh fruit.
  • Cottage cheese served with pineapple chunks and ground flaxseed; toast with jam or nut butter.