The effects of breakfast on behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents

Abstract

Breakfast consumption is associated with positive outcomes for diet quality, micronutrient intake, weight status and lifestyle factors. Breakfast has been suggested to positively affect learning in children in terms of behavior, cognitive, and school performance. However, these assertions are largely based on evidence which demonstrates acute effects of breakfast on cognitive performance. Less research which examines the effects of breakfast on the ecologically valid outcomes of academic performance or in-class behavior is available. The literature was searched for articles published between 1950–2013 indexed in Ovid MEDLINE, Pubmed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE databases, and PsychINFO. Thirty-six articles examining the effects of breakfast on in-class behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents were included. The effects of breakfast in different populations were considered, including undernourished or well-nourished children and adolescents from differing socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. The habitual and acute effects of breakfast and the effects of school breakfast programs (SBPs) were considered. The evidence indicated a mainly positive effect of breakfast on on-task behavior in the classroom. There was suggestive evidence that habitual breakfast (frequency and quality) and SBPs have a positive effect on children's academic performance with clearest effects on mathematic and arithmetic grades in undernourished children. Increased frequency of habitual breakfast was consistently positively associated with academic performance. Some evidence suggested that quality of habitual breakfast, in terms of providing a greater variety of food groups and adequate energy, was positively related to school performance. However, these associations can be attributed, in part, to confounders such as SES and to methodological weaknesses such as the subjective nature of the observations of behavior in class.

Breakfast Habits and Its Relationship to Body Mass Index, Cognitive Function among Final Year Medical Students

“…Studies have demonstrated that regular breakfast enhances cognitive performance in children; memory and attention in particular [8,9,16]. Although trail making performance was slightly better in the group who had breakfast in our study, they were not significantly different from the students who did not have breakfast on the day of interview.…”

“…Some studies have reported that there aren't any significant effects on cognitive functions [6,7]. Further, not many studies have shown that skipping breakfast affects tasks requiring attention and concentration [8,9]. Differences in study design, type of sample population, cognitive function assessment procedures might have contributed to these inconsistencies seen in these reports.…”

The Effect of Breakfast on Academic Performance among High School Students in Abu Dhabi

“…Despite the fact that the results of these studies were diverse, breakfast intake seems to have a positive short-term effect on intellectual and cognitive performance as compared to breakfast omission in children and adolescents [2].…”

Methodological considerations in a pilot study on the effects of a berry enriched smoothie on children’s performance in school

“…Brain function is sensitive to short-term variations in nutrient supply, with several studies examining the immediate (short-term) effects of breakfast on academic performance [2,3]. However, research investigating the long-term effects of breakfast in this regard is less common in the literature [4].…”

“…Further, to maintain their higher metabolic rate, children require a continuous supply of energy derived from glucose [2]. However, water and energy are not the only dietary components that play a role; in addition to carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and other bioactive substances, which are also important for intellectual performance.…”