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I may have missed something, but it seems like this only deals with the potential effect or lack of effect of eating breakfast (or not) on weight loss. What abo

by slvv 12y ago

I may have missed something, but it seems like this only deals with the potential effect or lack of effect of eating breakfast (or not) on weight loss. What about the effect of eating breakfast on mental alertness, productivity, etc? Are there studies on that?

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
You don't even really need a study because it's common sense. Hungry people are slower in all respects and much more prone to anxiety and aggression. Who hasn't experienced this? Most heart attacks and strokes occur in the wee hours of the morning. This is because fasting and darkness both increase stress hormone levels. Stress is highest early in the morning. Eating a good breakfast such as with orange juice and cereal helps rapidly normalize stress and boost the metabolic rate. As a weight loss strategy skipping breakfast is bunk, anyway. The data consistently shows people who eat breakfast are thinner. Kids who eat breakfast cereals are thinner.
- hollerith 12y ago
  >Most heart attacks and strokes occur in the wee hours . . . because fasting and darkness both increase stress hormone levels. Not true. The wikipedia article on cortisol: "In humans, the amount of cortisol present in the blood undergoes diurnal variation; the level peaks in the early morning (approximately 8 am) and reaches its lowest level at about midnight-4 am, or three to five hours after the onset of sleep." (Cortisol is by far the most important "molecular barometer" for stress in humans.)
  - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
    What's not true? There you have it, stress levels are highest in the morning. It's a good reason to eat and lower them.
    - oe 12y ago
      "The wee hours" mean the hours immediately after midnight, when cortisol levels are at their lowest.
neona 12y ago
I agree, this talked about none of the things I was hoping it would talk about. I've always assumed that breakfast was said to be important because it improves various facets of functional performance, not because of weight loss. Maybe general body health from spreading out digestive load. I've always wondered whether breakfast has an impact on performance throughout the day, or just the morning. It seems fairly obvious that you'll be more tired if you don't eat breakfast though.

by slvv 12y ago

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago

You don't even really need a study because it's common sense. Hungry people are slower in all respects and much more prone to anxiety and aggression. Who hasn't experienced this? Most heart attacks and strokes occur in the wee hours of the morning. This is because fasting and darkness both increase stress hormone levels. Stress is highest early in the morning. Eating a good breakfast such as with orange juice and cereal helps rapidly normalize stress and boost the metabolic rate. As a weight loss strategy skipping breakfast is bunk, anyway. The data consistently shows people who eat breakfast are thinner. Kids who eat breakfast cereals are thinner.

hollerith 12y ago
>Most heart attacks and strokes occur in the wee hours . . . because fasting and darkness both increase stress hormone levels. Not true. The wikipedia article on cortisol: "In humans, the amount of cortisol present in the blood undergoes diurnal variation; the level peaks in the early morning (approximately 8 am) and reaches its lowest level at about midnight-4 am, or three to five hours after the onset of sleep." (Cortisol is by far the most important "molecular barometer" for stress in humans.)
- a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
  What's not true? There you have it, stress levels are highest in the morning. It's a good reason to eat and lower them.
  - oe 12y ago
    "The wee hours" mean the hours immediately after midnight, when cortisol levels are at their lowest.

neona 12y ago

I agree, this talked about none of the things I was hoping it would talk about. I've always assumed that breakfast was said to be important because it improves various facets of functional performance, not because of weight loss. Maybe general body health from spreading out digestive load. I've always wondered whether breakfast has an impact on performance throughout the day, or just the morning. It seems fairly obvious that you'll be more tired if you don't eat breakfast though.