Want to Lose Weight? Eat Breakfast

Psst, want to lose some weight? Turns out your mom’s right: eat breakfast.

University of Minnesota scientists did the 5-year study of more than 2,000 younsgers and found those who skipped breakfast weigh about 5 lb. (2.3 kg) more than those who ate "the most important meal of the day." What’s more interesting is that the breakfast-eaters actually consumed more calories on a daily basis.

"It may seem counter-intuitive," said Mark Pereira, who led the research. "But while they ate more calories, they did more to burn those off, and that may be because those who ate breakfast did not feel so lethargic. [...]

"They skip breakfast because they worry about weight gain - and it’s ironic that the ones who aren’t worried and eat in the mornings are the ones who keep their weight down."

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March 4, 2008 at 4:11 am by Alex
Category: Food & Drinks, Medicine

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8 comments to "Want to Lose Weight? Eat Breakfast"

Jane
March 4th, 2008 at 6:50 am
I have doubt about this research as I have experienced the total opposite. I used to be a serial breakfast skipper and since I started eating breakfast regularly two months ago, I already gain 5 kg
Jerse
March 4th, 2008 at 7:48 am
It’s simple:

You eat many small meals a day - your metabolism is working faster all the time, burning off excess fat

You eat one or two big meals a day - your metabolism gets slower and your body burns off your muscles first to compensate for the lack of energy. Then after the majority of your muscle mass is gone - your body starts taking from the fat as a last resort.
Ali S.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:07 am
@ Jerse

I always thought that the most easily accessible fuel source (fat) would be the first to be burned off? Like in starvation a person burns off fat first and then muscle as a last resort to produce energy for the heart and brain to use.
Sid Morrison
March 4th, 2008 at 9:14 am
The implicit causality is dubious. Does the breakfast *cause* those kids to be more active, or are the ones naturally more active more likely to eat breakfast? Perhaps they also tend to wake up earlier… What causes what?

The study only shows a positive correlation between 2 traits. The suggestion of anything further is not borne out by what is reported in the article. Who funded the study, Kellogg’s, Post, or Geberal Mills?
Sigfús Örn
March 4th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I have to aggree with Sid here above. This study (and others of the same) just show the positive correlation. Aren’t kids who eat breakfast likely to be more active or health concious to begin with? The causality chain is of a more argumentative nature than it is being portrayed as.

This is often passed off as something of an obvious thing, but it is like that old thing with correlation of ice-cream eating and rape; just because somethings share a pattern does not mean that they are in a causal relationship.
Paul
March 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
A lot of small meals keeps your metabolism going.
Jerse
March 4th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
@Ali S.

That’s what a lot of people think - but it’s actually the complete opposite though. The body tries to store up on fat if it knows it won’t get energy, so it burns off muscles in the meantime. That’s why people actually wind up gaining weight when they diet…
Sean Bissell
March 12th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Great topic!

I think we have a bit of a debate going on here if it’s really the breakfast that causes weight loss, or is it just that “healthy” people would eat breakfast anyway.

Personally, I don’t believe the whole 4-6 meals a day increases your metabolism.

I think that eating breakfast curbs your hunger for a good part of the day, and makes you less likely to overeat later in the day.

My 2cents.

-Sean

http://www.insiderdietsecrets.com

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Want to Lose Weight? Eat Breakfast

Psst, want to lose some weight? Turns out your mom’s right: eat breakfast.

"It may seem counter-intuitive," said Mark Pereira, who led the research. "But while they ate more calories, they did more to burn those off, and that may be because those who ate breakfast did not feel so lethargic. [...]

"They skip breakfast because they worry about weight gain - and it’s ironic that the ones who aren’t worried and eat in the mornings are the ones who keep their weight down."

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