Children who regularly skip breakfast are more likely to be unhappy, a study suggests.
Researchers found that the more often children aged 10 to 17 ate breakfast, the more satisfied they were with their lives.
They analysed data from nearly 150,000 young people in 42 countries, including the UK.
The highest life satisfaction score was identified in participants who ate breakfast every day and the lowest in children who never ate breakfast.
Researchers believe there are several reasons for this, including how the vitamins and nutrients in breakfast can help students concentrate and learn in school.
The highest life satisfaction score was identified in participants who ate breakfast every day and the lowest in children who never ate breakfast (stock image)
Researchers believe there are several reasons why children are happy, including how the vitamins and nutrients in breakfast can help students concentrate and learn in school.
Among the countries studied, children who ate breakfast every day in Portugal had the highest levels of life satisfaction.
In contrast, the lowest life satisfaction scores were found in Romanian children who never ate breakfast.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University and the University of the Americas say their findings also point to possible socioeconomic factors.
Among children who ate breakfast every day, children in England had the fifth lowest life satisfaction score, behind only Romania, Hungary, Germany and Austria.
Lead author Lee Smith, professor of public health at ARU, said: ‘Our study was broad in scope and found a consistent association between breakfast frequency and life satisfaction, and there are several potential reasons for this.
‘There are previous studies that show a low mood among adolescents who have not eaten breakfast and also higher rates of anxiety, stress and depression.
Among the countries studied, children who ate breakfast every day in Portugal had the highest levels of life satisfaction. In contrast, children in Romania who never ate breakfast had the lowest levels of life satisfaction (file image)
Among children who ate breakfast every day, children in England had the fifth lowest life satisfaction score, behind only Romania, Hungary, Germany and Austria (file image)
‘In addition, eating a proper breakfast provides the energy and nutrients necessary for optimal cognitive functioning and improves concentration, memory and learning ability.
‘Another reason could be the mix of vitamins and minerals we get from our daily breakfast, and not getting them regularly can result in lower life satisfaction over time.
‘A regular routine that includes breakfast can also provide structure and a positive tone to the rest of the day.
‘The results showed some inconsistencies between countries, which could be influenced by different cultures and lifestyles and socioeconomic factors.
“However, despite this, our results show that in all countries examined, reported life satisfaction is generally higher in those who eat breakfast daily than in those who never eat breakfast,” according to the results published in the BMC Nutrition Journal.
