Breakfast, Obesity and Diabetes
People who eat breakfast daily may be less likely to succumb to obesity and diabetes. In comparison to those who reported eating breakfast twice per week or less often, those reporting eating breakfast every day had 35 percent to 50 percent lower rates of developing obesity and insulin resistance syndrome," researcher Dr. Mark A. Pereira reported.
Insulin resistance is a loss of sensitivity to insulin, the key blood-sugar-regulating hormone. This loss of sensitivity is often a precursor to diabetes. This was true for white men and women, and black men, but not black women.
The Value Of Breakfast
Breakfast may reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease by controlling appetite and thus reducing the likelihood of overeating later in the day, explained the investigator.
In addition to breakfast frequency, the quality of breakfast also appears to be important, noted Pereira. For example, whole grain breakfast cereals were associated with a reduction in risk, whereas refined grain breakfast cereals were not.
Only cereals that list a whole grain or bran first in the ingredient list or those that contain a whole grain and have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving are considered to be whole grain cereal, according to a statement from the American Heart Association.
The study contributes to the knowledge of the role of dietary patterns and risk of obesity and related health outcomes.
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