Healthy Breakfast: Did You Know?
Based on research at Dalhousie University and the University of Guelph, about 5% of young school children skip a healthy breakfast. Another study found that by grade 4, an average of 24% of students miss the morning meal, and this number sharply rises to 41% for eighth graders. During the teen years, breakfast skipping becomes a bad habit. Data from Ontario show that over 51% of secondary school boys and almost 64% of secondary school girls don’t eat breakfast on a daily basis and according to Canadian Health and Lifestyles, 40% of Canadian adults don’t eat a morning meal.
Research shows that skipping breakfast is bad for us.
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that people who skipped breakfast had a higher risk of obesity.
- Skipping breakfast frequently has also been connected to depression and perceived stress.
- Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that academic performance, problem solving skills, and mood are all affected by a healthy breakfast.
Healthy Breakfast: What type of breakfast person are you?
The Pauper, The King and The Maestro.
The Pauper
These people almost always skip breakfast. They are either too busy, not hungry in the morning, or are on a diet. Or just like the pauper who was given a small piece of bread to eat, these people may eat a doughnut, a sweet roll or a piece of toast and wash it down with coffee or juice. (This kind of breakfast is high in refined sugar and has little or no protein. You will usually be hunger in an hour or two and feel foggy-headed and fatigued). They may also be the ones who pull up to the drive through window or fill their mug on the way out the door. Coffee can give you a morning boost, but has none of the nutrients needed to repair and maintain the body and mind.
The King
The ‘feast’ consists of a large quantity of food, including eggs, pancakes with syrup, sausage, bacon, and hash browns. Though it contains a variety of food groups, it usually is heavy on the carbs and fat and very high in calories, which can lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Though many of us may ‘feast’ on the weekend, it doesn’t make up for not eating breakfast throughout the week.
The Maestro
Breakfast is a priority for this group, and so is conducting themselves in healthy way. They make good choices so that they manage their energy effectively and add the right kinds of foods that promote health and longevity.
Beverly’s Resiliency Tips For Ensuring A Healthy Breakfast And Celebrating National Egg Month:
- Make breakfast fun. Make it a time for connection and fun. Eggs and waffles can be cooked using a variety of shapes to add some fun. Toast can be cut into strips. Drink your milk with a curly straw.
- Keep it balanced. Try to cover the basic food groups. Add tomatoes, peppers, cheese and ham to omelets to add in other food groups.
- Cut out the sugar. Read the labels on the cereal boxes and look for those that are lower in calories and higher in proteins and fibre. Look for 100% juices.
- Don’t Call It Breakfast. If you don’t like breakfast foods, don’t limit yourself to the traditional. Do you have leftovers from last night’s dinner? Great – just keep it balanced and don’t get stuck in a rut.
Contact Beverly about hosting a mental health workshop for your teams on how to build resilience. Learn relaxation strategies, and discover coping tips to deal with stress, change and crisis!
If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!
Additional Resources On This Topic:
Water: A Necessity In Maintaining Mental Health
National Caffeine Awareness Month