(Image source from: 9Coach - Nine)

We’ve all at least once in life have heard, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” especially if you’re looking to lose weight. However, a new study found that the weight loss in those who did and didn’t eat breakfast had a very small difference.

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), including breakfast might not necessarily be considered a good plan for weight loss. Furthermore, the study recommended that adults eating breakfast, strictly for weight loss reasons, might actually end up having the opposite effect than intended.

While the largely held belief was that eating a good breakfast would encourage the body’s normal basal metabolism rate to increase which would in turn help weight loss. On the other hand, skipping breakfast was thought to make people prefer for foods which were high in calories as a result leading to a surplus of energy, which would then be converted to adipose tissue (fat) and stored in the body.

Out of 13 trials conducted, 7 examined the actual effects eating breakfast had on weight change, while 10 looked at how breakfast impacted energy intake.

Analysis of the results showed that there was a very small difference between the participants who skipped breakfast and those who didn’t.

Researchers did in addition note that those who did eat breakfast tended to have an overall higher total energy (calorie) intake than the participants of the study who skipped breakfast. They have as well asked that the results of the study be taken into consideration carefully and to not blindly skip breakfast, as there have not been too many studies conducted in the same line.

In addition, the trials undertaken consisted of small groups of people and were held for a short time period between 2 and 16 weeks. Nutritional requirements may change from person to person, so a proper dietitian or doctor should be consulted prior to undertaking any weight loss or gain strategies.

-Sowmya Sangam