Benefits of Breakfast for Children's Achievements
Breakfast for children apparently affects children’s learning achievement at school according to Ronald E. Kleinman, MD, a pediatric gastroenterology specialist and nutritionist who teaches at Harvard University, USA.
“On average, children who never had breakfast had lower thinking and memory abilities than those who ate every morning,” said dr. Kleinman.
A number of studies prove this claim. In the UK, a series of studies were conducted on 600 students on the effect of breakfast habits and children’s performance at school. The result, compared to their peers who are accustomed to eating breakfast, children who never eat breakfast are more difficult to concentrate, slow to respond, and have very low attention to lessons. They also act slower and tend to get irritated easily.
That is why, in America there is a Breakfast at School program (School Breakfast Program) for primary school children who come from low-income families. Since the program began in 1996, according to Dr. Keith Ayoob, assistant professor of education at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, has seen an increase in the quality of students academically. “An empty stomach is not an ideal condition for the learning process,” said Dr. Ayoob.
The breakfast routine also plays a role in avoiding the risk of obesity in children. According to dr. Sri Nasar, children who skip breakfast tend to feel hungry throughout the day, then eat large portions of the lunch and dinner schedule. “Also, they tend to snack more on unhealthy foods, such as candy, chocolate, and fried foods, to overcome hunger. If your appetite is not controlled, the risk of obesity is very likely to occur, “he said.
