Teenagers and breakfast don’t seem to go together, so you have to understand why teenagers need to eat breakfast. As a teacher and tutor, I am horrified by the number of teens who skip breakfast. Worse yet, there are some who don’t even eat lunch. During school their energy is so low that they have trouble staying awake and thinking. Either they are not sharing this information or parents are so busy that they are unaware of their teen’s poor eating habits.

Feeding teenagers can be a challenge. Their needs are different from those of younger children. Teens need to be taught to make healthy choices and appreciate good food. Part of the problem comes from advertising. Pictures of models make them believe that they are too fat when they are not. A study in Pediatrics suggests that teens who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight. Teens who eat breakfast tend to be more active. The quality of their diets and attitudes towards food is better.

Teens who skip breakfast tend to overeat later and eat high-fat snacks. Studies show that if they don’t eat in the morning they experience a mid-morning energy drop. This has an impact on grades. In fact, teens who skip breakfast are more likely to be obese as adults. Obesity among children and adults is a growing problem in the US.

High school students spend more time in school. Many of these schools do not allow them to leave at lunch time. They have more money and more exposure to vending machines. While vending machines aren’t always sources of unhealthy food and drink, combined with the options in the cafeteria they create a “junk food” diet. Many students do not opt ​​for low-fat lunches according to a Study of School Nutrition and Dietetics.

Excuses for not eating breakfast include not having enough time or not being hungry early in the morning. Both are easily resolved. First, parents should talk to their teens about the importance of nutrition and why skipping meals can be detrimental to their health. Explain the negative side of not having a proper diet. At Harvard University, a Massachusetts General Hospital study found that students who eat breakfast get better grades and lower rates of absences and tardies.

Don’t let excuses stop you from getting them to eat in the morning. Set expectations. You can set up a menu consisting of takeout. Some of the items you may include are: Fruit and Bran Muffins, Smoothies, Granola, Breakfast and Beverage Bars, Fruit Salad Cups. There are even frozen breakfasts that your teen can put in the toaster and grab on the way out the door. All of these can be eaten “on the go” before school. There really are no excuses for teens not to eat some kind of breakfast.

Another idea worth trying is to include a nutrition break in the school schedule. The high school where I taught for many years had a fifteen minute nutrition break at 9 am This worked well in a school of 2,600 students. The students had the opportunity to eat something and increase their energy. Talk to the principal and the PTA, and see if something like this can be arranged for next semester. It does not mean extending the school day. It can be achieved by shaving a few minutes of each period. Worth a try for healthier teens.

Getting your teen to eat well and not skip meals is crucial to their future well-being and is necessary to understanding why teens need to eat breakfast. Eating breakfast is one way to help them get the essential nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy and to do well in school. Involve. Teenagers and breakfast really do go together.

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