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Listen To Your Mother: Don’t Skip Breakfast

Listen+To+Your+Mother%3A+Don%E2%80%99t+Skip+Breakfast
infographic breakfast
Infographic created by Claire Frank.

By Claire Frank

Ever since elementary school, students have been unable to escape one phrase: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It’s been uttered so many times, it’s almost cliche. Well, there’s a reason people say it so much: It’s actually true.

According to National Public Radio (NPR), the brain needs glucose (blood sugar) in order to start off the day after fasting all night. Eating breakfast can improve mood and memory and increase alertness. People who skip breakfast are twice as likely to be overweight and less likely to maintain weight loss than those who eat breakfast regularly.

“Students should eat breakfast in the morning because it’s what starts your day,” said senior Bella Chua.

An article in Medical News Today stated that “59% of high school students skip breakfast at least three times a week, and one in three girls skip breakfast daily.”

Skipping breakfast can cause blood sugar to drop to low levels which, according to WebMd, can cause a multitude of symptoms including nausea, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, and the inability to concentrate.  

These can affect a student’s performance in school, and the consequences of skipping breakfast are reflected in grades. Studies dating as far back as the 1950s have proven that students who regularly eat breakfast get better grades than those who don’t.

Some students skip breakfast because money is tight and their family cannot always afford it. However, they still have options to eat in the morning. Loudoun County Public Schools offers a Free and Reduced Price Meal Program for students whose family income is at or below Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Students are eligible for free meals regardless of their family’s income if they are receiving assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

For others, they simply don’t have enough time before school to eat breakfast. Getting ready for school is often rushed, and skipping breakfast may seem necessary, but there are always alternatives.

One option is to buy school breakfast, which is served in Tuscarora’s cafeteria each morning. Another is to grab something quick before leaving the house and eating it after arriving at school.

“Breakfast doesn’t have to be a long process,” said junior Nicolas Logan. “Carnation, milkshakes, cereal bars, or fruit work just as well.”

Senior Kim Farfan also commented on the topic, saying, “[Students] should try to eat at least a smoothie or yogurt and then gradually eat more. They’ll soon realize how much more energy they have because of it.”

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