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Did you know that breakfast should meet one-fourth of your daily nutritional requirements? Or, that breakfast is brain food and keeps children alert and that kids who eat breakfast are less prone to diet-related diseases. More than adults, breakfast seems to be most beneficial for children as it keeps them active and healthy. There is growing support for the old adage that one should breakfast like a king, lunch like a knave and dine like a pauper. According to Dr Usha Sreedhar, a Chennai-based child specialist, breakfast eaters make healthier food choices during the day and have better intake of almost all nutrients compared to those who miss breakfast. She says, "A study conducted by us found that kids who had eaten a healthy breakfast of more than 500 calories did better in tests of addition and creativity than those who had a poor breakfast of only 200 calories. The poorest performance was by those who did not have any breakfast. In short, breakfast habits directly impacted children’s performance in school." The vitamin and mineral intake of children who skipped breakfast was lower than those who ate in the morning. These deficiencies could lead to slow performance of activities in school-going children. Overnight fasting leaves the brain low in glucose in the morning. If levels are not boosted by an intake of food, certain functions of the brain get adversely affected. The most noted effect is on the memory. A breakfast comprising cereals, milk and a bowl of fresh fruit goes a long way in improving kids’ performance in class. Breakfast eaters have greater verbal fluency and are better able to recall and use newly acquired information. Dr Sreedhar says, "Most health-related habits which constitute an individual’s lifestyle in adult age are established during childhood and adolescence spent in schools. Health education in schools goes a long way in establishing good dietary habits and a physically active life in the adult age." Doctors say that eating in general, and breakfast in particular, increases the metabolic rate, a process known as DIT [diet-induced thermogenesis]. A high-carbohydrate breakfast also has the advantage of helping to replace carbohydrate storehouses in the muscles. If glycogen is not topped up, physical performance diminishes and fatigue sets in. Breakfast eaters have higher intakes of vitamin A, E and D, iron and calcium than those who go hungry in the morning. Any shortage of such nutrients affects growth in children. A deficiency of iron leads to the development of both sub-clinical and full-blown anemia, particularly in teenage girls. Kids who eat late in the night or do not get enough sleep or exercise are usually the ones who skip breakfast. It’s important for parents to put these lifestyle factors right first. An early dinner, a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast are the ideal combination. — NF
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