Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

By Eleanor Dhillon

While some headlines have claimed breakfast is no longer important, others disagree and say skipping breakfast can have negative impacts on health.

Recent studies have shown breakfast may not be a priority for many.

A Statistica 2019 survey says only 58.3 per cent of Canadians eat breakfast every day. The ones who do not are forcing themselves to go for long periods of time without food consumption.

According to the National Post, breakfast skippers eat fewer calories over the day and weigh slightly less than breakfast eaters.

Dr. Yen Foong is a paediatric resident who said that although skipping breakfast can lead to weight loss, it may not be an effective way to do it. You still need nutrition to stay active throughout the day.

“I would not recommend this as a method of weight loss,” said Foong. “If you eat fewer calories per day but maintain the same level of activity, you could end up losing weight.”

Foong says going for long periods of time without eating can have some negative effects on the body and your overall health quality, and not drinking water for long periods of time could eventually lead to kidney problems. In extreme cases it may cause dehydration and low blood sugar levels.

“Long periods of fasting means that you will be using up fuel stored up in your fat tissue, your muscle and your liver in order to maintain your blood sugar level and fuel your brain and body so that you can keep thinking, moving and behaving normally,” said Foong.

Foong believes a healthy diet should be balanced and most people should be eating three meals a day, with a few snacks.

“A healthy diet is a balanced diet which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and limits the amount of processed food,” said Foong. “A healthy diet looks different for different people and in different cultures.”

Foong said that people also need food to balance your blood sugar levels and to keep their bodies functioning. Deprivation of these elements can lead to complicated health issues.

Karen Rugama is a registered nurse who has been practicing for eight years. She said skipping breakfast can actually lead to weight gain due to larger consumption of food in between meals or to make up for the meals that have been missed or if you do not stick to your diet plan.

“Keep in mind if you are skipping breakfast but eating lunch and dinner, these individuals tend to consume a larger portion at these meal times and therefore can cause weight gain,” said Rugama.

According to Health.gov, men should be consuming anywhere from 2,000 – 3,000 calories per day, women 1,600 – 2,400 per day and children/adolescents can range anywhere from 1,000 – 3,200 depending on their age and gender.

Rugama said skipping breakfast is becoming more popular amongst teens and adults, and in today’s society, diets are a big trend among both groups.

“Every individual is different, it could be because they are more mindful of their portions at lunch and dinner as well as their daily calorie intake,” said Rugama.

Rugama also said not every diet is appropriate for every individual. All bodies are different which means they require different foods and nutrition to satisfy their needs.

Good health starts with good nutrition. Starting the day with breakfast could be a good first step.