Breakfast: to skip or not to skip?

Tanya Zilberter,Eugene Yuri Zilberter

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2014.00059

Tanya Zilberter, Eugene Yuri Zilberter

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2014.00059

Copy DOI

Abstract

Human eating behaviors are often non-homeostatic, and thus unlike homeostatic behaviors, they are not exclusively reliant on rigid brain mechanisms, but heavily depend on psychological, sociocultural, and educational factors as well. A clear understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of various eating behaviors is necessary for giving comprehensive educational guidance. However, recommendations regarding breakfast (BF) eating behavior are perhaps the most peremptory yet scientifically (especially metabolically) groundless health guidelines, and thus the widely accepted notion of BF as the most important meal of the day has been called into question. In a recent meta-analysis, Brown et al. (1), not arguing with the established link between obesity and BF behavior, concluded: “The current body of scientific knowledge indicates that the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity is only presumed true” (p. 1298). The authors state that numerous articles demonstrating negative metabolic effects of skipping BF have yet to establish a causal relationship due to a lack of probative value and that the major obstacle in establishing causality is neglecting the possible confounding factors. In this opinion paper, we suggest that BF is just another meal, rather than the “most important meal of the day” as is commonly believed and that prolongation of overnight fast, which depends not only on timing of BF but also on timing of the last meal of the day, can be beneficial.

Highlights

PUBLIC HEALTHThe definition of BF continues to vary between studies, the definition by Timlin and Pereira [4]: “first meal of the day, eaten before or at the start of daily activities (e.g., errands, travel, work), within 2 h of waking, typically no later than 10:00 in the morning, and of an energy level between 20 and 35% of total daily energy needs” is accepted as an academic standard
Human eating behaviors are often nonhomeostatic, and unlike homeostatic behaviors, they are not exclusively reliant on rigid brain mechanisms, but heavily depend on psychological, sociocultural, and educational factors as well
We suggest that BF is just another meal, rather than the “most important meal of the day”as is commonly believed and that prolongation of overnight fast, which depends on timing of BF and on timing of the last meal of the day, can be beneficial

Summary

PUBLIC HEALTH

The definition of BF continues to vary between studies, the definition by Timlin and Pereira [4]: “first meal of the day, eaten before or at the start of daily activities (e.g., errands, travel, work), within 2 h of waking, typically no later than 10:00 in the morning, and of an energy level between 20 and 35% of total daily energy needs” is accepted as an academic standard Of significance for this discussion is to note that the above definition does not specify the duration of the overnight fast.

Zilberter and Zilberter

Findings

CONCLUSION