Breakfast Impacts Student Performance
New Research Links Skipping Breakfast to Lower Math Scores and Memory in Children
Anonymous
Skipping breakfast before school hurts kids' math performance, memory and attention, according to research by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children who miss breakfast often feel tired, restless or irritable by mid-morning. Their energy, focus and school performance all drop as a result.
The problem is widespread in the US. The CDC found that 17.9 percent of high school students reported skipping breakfast on all seven days of the previous week. About 13 percent of school-age children skip breakfast entirely. Among teenagers aged 12 to 19, that number jumps to over 27 percent.
Morning Food Boosts Brain Power and Test Scores
Eating breakfast increases brain function, memory and attention in children, AAP research shows. Kids who eat in the morning perform significantly better on vocabulary tests and math problems. They also handle challenging mental tasks more easily than their peers who skip the meal.
Midmorning Crash Leads to Restlessness and Fatigue
Children who skip breakfast hit an energy wall by mid-morning, according to AAP findings. They become tired, restless and irritable. These mood and energy changes make it harder to focus on schoolwork and pay attention in class during critical learning hours.
Over a Quarter of Teens Start School Without Food
Breakfast skipping is especially common among older kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that 13 percent of school-age children miss breakfast. But among adolescents aged 12 to 19, the rate climbs to over 27 percent on average. Many teens face time pressure or lack access to morning meals.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
13
Articles
12
Reach
13
A
AnonymousAuthor
