Having breakfast to lose weight may not work

"The most important meal of the day" may not help people control their weight.

According to a review published in The BMJ of January 30, 2019, there is no evidence that breakfast promotes weight loss or that skipping breakfast causes weight gain.

In fact, the results show that daily caloric intake was higher among people having their breakfast and that skipping breakfast did not cause an increase in appetite later in the morning. day.

The researchers point out that the quality of the studies is low and that the results must be interpreted with caution. They point out, however, that their badysis challenges the popular recommendation that breakfast can contribute to weight control.

Previous studies have suggested that breakfast is related to maintaining a healthy weight, but these results are observed and likely reflect a person's healthy lifestyle and food choices.

For example, a team from Monash University in Australia badyzed the effect of regularly having breakfast on weight change and daily energy intake, based on the results of 13 randomized controlled trials conducted primarily in the United States. United States and the United Kingdom over the last 28 years.

Several trials focused on the relationship between eating or skipping breakfast and body weight changes, while others examined the effect of breakfast on daily energy intake.

Participants included usual / non-usual breakfast eaters, or both, of different weights, monitored between 24 hours and 16 weeks.

The researchers found that the total daily energy intake was higher among groups of people having breakfast than among those who had skipped (260 calories more consumed on average per day), whatever their usual breakfast habits.

And the results showed that those who skipped breakfast had an average of 0.44 kg less.

The effect of breakfast on weight did not differ between people of normal weight and those overweight.

It has already been suggested that breakfast can contribute to weight loss because of the efficient burning of calories early in the day, avoiding too much eating later.

But reviewers found no significant difference in metabolic rates between breakfast eaters and captains.

And despite conventional wisdom, skipping breakfast was not related to the fact that people were more hungry in the afternoons nor the differences in energy expenditure.

The authors emphasize that because of the variable quality of the included studies, the results should be interpreted with caution.

However, they argue that "currently, the available evidence does not allow dietary changes in adults to include breakfast consumption as a good strategy for weight loss."

"Although regular breakfast may have other important effects, caution should be exercised when it is recommended to have a breakfast for weight loss in adults, as this may be a problem." The opposite effect, "they conclude.

In an opinion piece, Dr. Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, says people have different preferences regarding when to eat food, which "could to suit our unique personal metabolism. "

"No single solution", and normative recommendations for slow diets, which contain misinformation, seem increasingly counterproductive and detract from important health messages.

"Until the guidelines change, nothing can be done by trying your own experiences by skipping breakfast," he concludes.

Copyright: The Star Online / Asia News Network