Should I eat breakfast? is a common question a Certified Nutritionist like me hears frequently. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer to the question about eating immediately or waiting until late morning to eat.

To date any person familiar with the research would have to conclude that it does not provide a definitive answer to the question of “Should I eat breakfast?”

While some long term studies show that one commonality among people who’ve kept the weight from coming back is eating breakfast, other studies show breakfast eaters consume more calories over the course of the day.  

New Study on Question of “Should I Eat Breakfast?”

Now we have yet another study that attempts to answer the “Should I Eat Breakfast?” question.

This new study concludes that eating a big breakfast rather than a large dinner may prevent obesity and high blood sugar.

How the Research Was Conducted

  • Our body expends energy when we digest food for the absorption, digestion, transport and storage of nutrients.
  • This process, known as diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), is a measure of how well our metabolism is working, and can differ depending on mealtime.
  • The research consisted of a three-day laboratory study of 16 men who consumed a low-calorie breakfast and high-calorie dinner, and vice versa in a second round.
  • They found identical calorie consumption led to 2.5 times higher DIT in the morning than in the evening after high-calorie and low-calorie meals.
  • The food-induced increase of blood sugar and insulin concentrations was diminished after breakfast compared with dinner.
  • The results also show eating a low-calorie breakfast increased appetite, specifically for sweets.

Breakfast Study Results

According to the study’s author, Juliane Richter, M.Sc., Ph.D., of University of Lübeck in Germany:

  • Our results show that a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high diet-induced thermogenesis as the same meal consumed for dinner.
  • This finding is significant for all people as it underlines the value of eating enough at breakfast.
  • We recommend that patients with obesity as well as healthy people eat a large breakfast rather than a large dinner to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases

My Recommendation

I wouldn’t put too much credence in this latest study due to the same sample size and short time involved.

People and bodies differ. I wake up hungry every day and need to eat even before I hit the gym. But many of my clients report nor being hungry until late morning. I tell them not to force themselves to eat breakfast, just make sure they eat before they are starving.

Find a healthy eating pattern that works for your body and schedule and suits your preferences.

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