European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics faculty member Asst. Prof. Dr Cemre Elmas informed on ‘The Importance of Breakfast in School Age Children’.

‘One of the most important requirements of a healthy childhood is healthy nutrition. Consuming as much as needed from various nutrients throughout the day prevents health problems that may occur due to malnutrition or overnutrition. Elmas stated that this situation is especially important as it will contribute to biological and emotional development as well as physical development, which is effective in saying that a school-age child is growing up healthy, and that the meals should be at regular intervals, the necessary nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals) can be taken in a balanced way, and that it provides the physiological balance of the body. He also said that 3 main meals and 1-2 intermediate meals are sufficient to ensure the required order in school-age children, especially since breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, how it is consumed, and how its content is related to the amount of energy and nutrients to be taken during the day.

It is known that breakfast is associated with cognitive and daytime performance and school success, especially in children

Elmas made the following statements in the continuation of his explanations; Providing a variety of nutrients at breakfast (and at other main meals) is necessary for adequate intake of all nutrients. In addition to the amounts of nutrients, their combination is also important. To ensure a balanced combination, food groups have been formed by classifying foods according to their similar properties. Our food groups are generally divided into different groups: (1) milk and products; (2) meat-chicken-fish-eggs-legumes-oily seeds; (3) vegetables; (4) fruits; (5) bread and cereal products. It is very important to ensure that different foods from each food group are available on children’s plates as much as they need at each main meal. Considering the importance of the breakfast meal in particular, it is among the other results obtained in studies that the habit of having regular breakfast and the pattern of breakfast reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, which are very common today, through mechanisms involved in energy balance and energy metabolism. Eating breakfast in the morning regulates hormones, appetite, and energy intake, and also affects metabolic factors such as blood glucose control. A regular breakfast regulates appetite and ensures that food intake in other meals is balanced. The body, which is hungry for a long time from night to morning, needs to be fed early in the morning to adapt to the working power. Therefore, especially the breakfast meal is of great importance in a healthy diet. Studies show that eating breakfast affects body weight gain in both children and adults and skipping breakfast increases the risk of chronic diseases in the long term. At the same time, it is known that breakfast is associated with cognitive and daytime performance and school success, especially in children.

Elmas concluded as follows: “For different reasons, for example; children who do not want to have breakfast because they want to catch up with school or because they do not feel hungry in the morning can often be encountered. However, going to school hungry and not eating until lunch is completely wrong. When breakfast is not eaten, long-term hunger occurs because the last meal is eaten in the evening. In case of hunger, we may feel weak, dizzy, sleepy, and have difficulties understanding the lectures and lessons. Families need to prevent this wrong behaviour (habit of not eating breakfast) by explaining the reasons to children and the fact that ‘breakfast is the Golden Meal’ should be adopted by children.’