ABSTRACT
The term “breakfast” is used in a number of ways. Studies provide varying deŠnitions of breakfast, including eating after overnight fasting, the Šrst meal of the day, eating before the start of daily activities, eating within two hours of waking, any food or beverage consumed between 05:00 and 09:00, eating before 10:00, and eating a meal in the morning that provides between 20 and 35 percent of daily energy needs. Some studies do not deŠne breakfast at all other than investigating eating occasions that are described as breakfast by the participants. Given this variation in deŠnition, one might expect considerable variation in the observed effects. However, there is
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 53 Breakfast and Nutritional Recommendations .....................................................54 Breakfast and Physical Health ............................................................................ 55
Breakfast and Cognitive Function ............................................................................ 55 Studies of Adults ................................................................................................. 55 Studies of Children .............................................................................................. 58
Effects of Breakfast on Mood .................................................................................. 59 Breakfast and Well-Being ........................................................................................ 59 Underlying Mechanisms .......................................................................................... 61
Breakfast Is Better Than Nothing........................................................................ 61 Glycemic Index and Load ................................................................................... 62 Other Mechanisms .............................................................................................. 62
Effects on Real-Life Cognitive Function and Safety ............................................... 63 Discussion ................................................................................................................ 63 References ................................................................................................................64 Appendix: Bibliography of Studies of Breakfast and Cognition in Children and Adolescents .......................................................................................................68
