Sumaiyah from Toronto recently asked SickKids scientists this question:
Q: “If you skip breakfast and lunch will that affect the way you learn?”
Here is the answer from Jennifer Buccino, MEd RD, Clinical Educator, at the Department of Clinical Dietetics:
A: “Skipping breakfast and lunch will certainly affect the way you learn. Your brain, like the rest of your body, needs energy to do its job. You get energy from the foods that you eat. So if you don’t eat breakfast or lunch your brain won’t be able to do its job. People who eat regularly through the day tend to concentrate more in school, have higher test scores, and overall seem to learn more compared to people who don’t eat regularly.
To help make sure that you have enough energy to feed your brain it is important to have a constant supply of energy. You can do this by eating both breakfast and lunch but also by including certain foods at these meals. Eating well with Canada’s food guide will help you decide what to include in your meals. Foods containing carbohydrate (grain products, fruits and some milk products) will give you energy quickly. Whole grains and foods with fibre make the energy from foods longer lasting. Protein foods (meat and alternatives) also help your body use the energy slowly so that the foods you eat at breakfast last until you have a chance to re-fuel at lunch time.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gives your body and your brain a boost to get the day started. Lunch and your other meals and snacks will help your body re-fuel to help you learn at your best.”
Have you ever had a burning question about your body or about your health and didn’t know how to find the answer? This might just be the opportunity to get to the bottom of it!
You have the chance to submit your question and it will be answered by a scientist at SickKids who specializes in that area. The best questions and answers will be featured on the Research Institute website.
Check the website often to see if your question gets posted. You can learn about what others want to know and if you read enough answers, you may even become a health expert yourself!