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FEBRUARY 27, 2008 — In the rush of our morning routines – getting ready for work, school, and the day ahead – breakfast gets lost in the shuffle for a large number of Americans. If you regularly skip breakfast, according to Cathy Heintz, a Registered Dietician and Chief Clinical Dietician for Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood, whether it’s to save time or as a means of cutting calories, it’s important to know that ‘the most important meal of the day’ is just that, particularly for children.
“Eating a healthy breakfast – even if it’s on the go – recharges our brain and our bodies,” says Heintz. “Eating a healthy breakfast helps us to jumpstart our metabolism and makes us more efficient in virtually everything we do.”
The week of March 2 is National School Breakfast Week, apropos considering that breakfast is the meal most directly connected to school achievement.
“Studies show that kids who eat breakfast on a regular basis generally do better in school,” says Heintz. “They have higher math grades, score higher on standardized achievement tests, demonstrate better attention spans, exhibit less behavioral problems, and are more likely to attend class and be on time. They are also less likely to be overweight,” she adds.
For those people who skip breakfast in an effort to cut calories and lose weight, that fact about breakfast could be a wake up call. “Research shows that skipping breakfast is more likely to cause weight gain rather than weight loss; and is in fact, skipping breakfast is linked with obesity. People who skip breakfast tend to eat more at their next meal and throughout the day,” she says, “and never make up for the nutrients lost through that skipped meal. In addition, skipping breakfast slows your metabolism, which makes weight gain more probable.”
While the benefits of breakfast and good nutrition are well documented, statistics show that only two percent of children ages 2 through 19 receive daily balanced nutrition according to USDA guidelines. Approximately 12 percent of students report skipping breakfast, and only 11 percent of students eat a breakfast that contains foods from three food groups.
So what can you do? “Kids learn by example,” says Heintz, “so it’s important for parents to serve as a good role model and make time to eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast. “Planning ahead and having everyone pitch in to help get breakfast ready can save time in the morning and make breakfast a family affair,” she suggests. Heintz also recommends varying the morning menu, incorporating some surprise favorite foods on occasion. Since breakfast is when you eat, not necessarily what you eat, Heintz suggests offering non-traditional foods for breakfast such as a bowl of soup, sandwich or pasta.
"Sending breakfast along for the bus ride or car commute to school can also be a great option if time is a factor," says Heintz. She suggests packing a breakfast that includes a combination of several food groups such as a hard boiled egg and a bagel, low-fat string cheese and apples spread with peanut butter or dry cereal in a bag with a side of banana.
Eating breakfast at daycare or at school, if it’s available, can also offer your child a nutritious alternative that ensures they start their day off right with a healthy dose of good nutrition before the start of class.
“No matter which option is right for you and your family, the important thing is to make sure that your children understand the important role breakfast plays in helping to ensure good health and well-being. Eating a healthy breakfast energizes us – body and mind – for the day ahead, and no one should start their day without it,” adds Heintz.
If you’re interested in finding out more about good nutrition and general wellness, The Center for Healthy Living at Kimball Medical Center offers a wide variety of health education and wellness promotion programs and services to people of all ages, including community education programs, support groups and school-based initiatives. The Center is conveniently located next to Kimball Medical Center at 198 Prospect Street in Lakewood. For information about upcoming programming, please call 1-888-724-7123.
Kimball Medical Center is an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the largest integrated health care delivery system in New Jersey. Located in Lakewood, Kimball Medical Center is a fully accredited, 350-bed facility offering the most advanced, ultra-modern diagnostic and treatment services. Kimball offers comprehensive rehabilitative services featuring The Balance Center and an advanced sports medicine program. Kimball is also the recipient of the Magnet Award for nursing excellence.
CONTACT: Kristine A. Brown
Director of Public Relations
(732) 557-3902
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