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In the Race
Now, here, you see, it takes all the blogging I can do to keep in the same place. If I want to get somewhere else, I must blog twice as fast as that! You see, I'm in the Red Queen's Race...
Is Your Teen Skipping?
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, May 20 2008, 06:50 AM
With more teens getting less physical education in school, eating fewer balanced meals at home, and spending more time on the computer, anything they can do to keep off a few pounds can help.
A good breakfast can do just that….
Lean Teens Eat Breakfast
Among teenagers, eating breakfast helped adolescents weigh less, exercise more and overall have a much healthier diet than their non-breakfast eating peers, according to researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
The researchers followed over 2,000 teenagers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and tracked their weight, eating patterns and other lifestyle habits for five years. The article, which was published in the journal of Pediatrics in March of 2008, stated that the teenagers were just under 15 year of age at the start of the study.
Studies have indicated that breakfast eating declines during adolescence. Some data reveals that only 14% of 12-19 year olds consistently eat breakfast. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between eating breakfast and weight change within a five year period in an adolescent population.
The findings revealed that children who ate breakfast regularly were more healthy overall. In addition, breakfast eaters in this study had a lower body mass index (BMI), according to the authors. BMI measures weight relative to height. The higher the BMI, the more overweight a person is. Teenagers in the study who consistently skipped breakfast weighed on average about 5 pounds more compared to teenagers who included breakfast in their everyday routine.
In this study, although breakfast eaters consumed a greater amount of energy, carbohydrates, and fiber, they consumed lower percentages of total calories from saturated fat. This dietary intake has been shown to improve energy balance and weight control since fiber rich foods (foods most consumed at breakfast) contributeto better glucose and insulin control which leads to an increased satiety and ultimately lower body weight.
This study supports the importance of consistent breakfast consumption in improving overall dietary intake, contributing to healthy weights and promoting a healthy lifestyle in youth. As the rates of breakfast consumption declines throughout the teenage years and early adulthood, the impact of consistent breakfast consumption may be an important indicator of an overall healthful lifestyle pattern in adolescents. Furthermore, thefact that regular consumption of breakfast is associated with a healthier weight and less weight change over time, may serve as an important message to teenagers who are engaging in unhealthy dietary behaviors, such as skipping breakfast, in their effort to lose weight. Educational efforts should focus on the importance of breakfast whether it is consumed at home or at school. In addition, education that promotes healthful breakfast (whole grain cereals, fruits, low fat milk) is important since diets that include nutrient and fiber rich food have been shown to have a positive effect on weight and disease reduction.
This is an excerpt from The Breakfast Scoop, Vol. 1, No. 3, an electronic newsletter covering issues related to breakfast and school breakfast programs. It is made possible by a partnership of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instructionand the University of Wisconsin-Extension Wisconsin Breakfast Newsletter Website http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/food/schoolbreakfast/newsletter.cfm
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