Recent research has shown that children who ate breakfast on a regular basis were less likely to become obese than their peers who did not eat a regular breakfast. The study examined the link between breakfast eating frequency and body weight changes in more than 2,000 adolescents. They were monitored over a five year period. The results indicated that the daily breakfast eaters tended to gain less weight and have lower body mass index levels – an indicator of obesity risk – compared with those who had missed breakfast as adolescents.

Over the past two decades, rates of obesity have doubled in children and nearly tripled in adolescents. It has been estimated that between 12 and 24 percent of children and adolescents regularly skip breakfast. This percentage of breakfast skippers has been found to increase with age, the researchers said.

Although adolescents may think that skipping breakfast seems like a good way to reduce calorie intake, findings suggest the opposite. Eating a healthy breakfast may help adolescents avoid overeating later in life and prevent unhealthy eating patterns.