Breakfast at home can prevent psycho-social health problems in kids and teens

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and skipping having it away from home could impact a child’s behavioural health.

Adolescents who eat breakfast at home have fewer behavioural problems.

The psychosocial health of 3,772 children in Spain was measured using a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

The survey had 5 subscales —emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, prosocial behavior.

Scores in each area were taken into consideration and a higher overall score highlighted psycho-social problems in children and teens.

Kids were divided into 3 categories with regards to where and whether they ate —  at home, away from home or had no breakfast.

Out of the 98.9% who ate breakfast, 95.8% ate at home.

Adolescents who skipped breakfast or ate outside of the home had a higher likelihood of psycho-social problems.

"Eating outside of the home has been related to energy-dense and high fat food consumption, as well as a lack of micronutrients, which could (at least partially) explain this finding,” said Dr. Jose Francisco Lopez-Gil of University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain.