With the clock ticking, preparing children for school in
the morning can turn into a chaotic rush to finish homework, pack bags and
prepare for the day ahead. Unfortunately these pressures may be leading to many
children running out the door without a nutritious start to the day or worse, without
eating breakfast at all. Recent Galaxy Research
of Australian parents of primary school children found that the majority (67%)
worry that their kids aren’t getting enough to eat to last the morning at
school(1), concerns which are
warranted given the importance of a nutritious breakfast for growing minds and
bodies. Here we look into these recent findings, explore why it’s important to
establish a healthy breakfast routine and provide some practical strategies to
help win the ‘breakfast battle’.
The research, commissioned by the Australian Breakfast Cereal
Manufacturers Forum (ABCMF), conducted on a nationally representative
sample of Australian parents of primary school aged children (5-12 years),
highlighted the challenge many families face when it comes to breakfast.
The research found that two out of three parents struggle
to get their kids to eat breakfast in the mornings, with more than one in three
stating that it is a weekly battle. Primary school aged children are increasingly
gaining the upper hand, with 200,000 parents admitting that their kids go to
school without breakfast almost every morning and 700,000 parents saying that
their children miss brekkie at least once a week(1). Parents highlighted
that often their kids aren’t hungry in the mornings, or are becoming increasingly
fussy and unable to find anything they like, despite parents efforts to provide
nutritious breakfast options(1).
The primary school years are a crucial time to establish healthy
eating routines, as good dietary habits will ensure kids receive all the
nutrients they need to grow, learn and play. As the saying goes, breakfast is
no doubt the most important meal of the day, providing kids with the energy and
nutrient boost they need to tackle a busy day at school.
Scientific research has shown that a nutritious, low glycemic
index (GI) breakfast can improve learning in the classroom(2, 3) and increase performance on numerical and
written tasks(4, 5). In addition to this, a study conducted by
Foodbank this year found that teachers regularly observe the negative effects
of skipping breakfast, estimating that kids who don’t eat before school lose
more than 2 hours of learning time per day. To put this into context, a child
who skips breakfast once a week will miss out on more than an entire terms
worth of learning over the course of the year(6).
When it comes to breakfast choices, just as with every
meal, parents should aim to provide their kids with core foods first, such as
breakfast cereals, various bread products, fruit, yoghurt and milk or a
combination of these. The good news is that in the recent research, parents
said that simple, healthy breakfast
choices such as a bowl of cereal, slice of toast or piece of fruit were the
easiest options for kids on a busy school morning, respectively(1). Discretionary choices
at breakfast (as with all meals or snacks) such as croissants, pastries or
muffins should be limited at brekkie, as these foods are often high in
kilojoules and low in essential nutrients(7).
Tips to winning
the ‘breakfast battle’
Parents who skip brekkie are more likely to have children
that skip breakfast too(1), and so the first step to helping your
kids start the day in the right way is by setting a good example as a parent -
so make sure you take five and enjoy the benefits of a wholegrain/high fibre
breakfast cereal or bread, calcium-rich milk or yoghurt, juicy fresh fruit or
even a boiled egg each day!
Next, it is important for parents to talk to their
children and identify simple, healthy core foods or combinations of core foods
that they enjoy and would like for breakfast.
Finally, to reduce the morning rush, set time aside each
night to prepare for the next morning i.e. put bowls and breakfast boxes out
and ensure lunches are ready to go. Follow these three steps and you should be
on your way to establishing a healthy routine for your kids and yourself.
For more information to help win the ‘breakfast battle’ and
make breakfast part of your family’s morning routine the ABCMF have developed a
number of excellent resources, which can be viewed here.
References
1. Galaxy Research. Survey of n-1000
Australian parents of primary school children aged 5-12 years. Galaxy Research,
May 2015.
2. Micha R, Rogers
PJ, Nelson M. Glycaemic index and glycaemic load of breakfast predict cognitive
function and mood in school children: a randomised controlled trial. The
British journal of nutrition. 2011;106(10):1552-61.
3. Ingwersen J,
Defeyter MA, Kennedy DO, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. A low glycaemic index breakfast
cereal preferentially prevents children's cognitive performance from declining
throughout the morning. Appetite. 2007;49(1):240-4.
4. O'Dea JA,
Mugridge AC. Nutritional quality of breakfast and physical activity
independently predict the literacy and numeracy scores of children after
adjusting for socioeconomic status. Health education research.
2012;27(6):975-85.
5. Hoyland A, Dye L,
Lawton CL. A systematic review of the effect of breakfast on the cognitive
performance of children and adolescents. Nutrition research reviews.
2009;22(2):220-43.
6. Foodbank. Hunger
in the Classroom Report, Galaxy Research Report N-532 primary and secondary
school teachers 2015. Available from: http://www.foodbank.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Foodbank-Hunger-in-the-Classroom-Report-May-2015.pdf.
7. NHMRC. Australian Dietary Guidelines Providing the
scientific evidence for healthier Australian diets. 2013 Accessed online
January 2014.
