Some people don’t make time for breakfast because of a misguided dieting effort. Although they feel that skipping breakfast can help eliminate some calories, in reality, it can become a barrier toward achieving a healthy weight. Eating a healthful breakfast each morning plays an essential role in helping keep you feeling full and sets you up success in weight control. In fact, regular breakfast consumption is a common characteristic of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off.

People who skip breakfast are at greater risk for obesity, have a higher body mass index (BMI) and are more likely to gain weight (1). Similarly, eating breakfast is associated with a lower BMI, a measure of overweight and obesity, among children and adolescents – just the opposite is true among breakfast skippers (their BMI rises).

Additionally, a breakfast that contains hot or ready-to-eat cereal appears to be a “best bet” for weight management among children, adolescents and adults, according to research (1). Adults who eat cereal of any type tend to weigh less when compared to those who don’t eat cereal. Eating cereal may also help children maintain a healthy body weight. Quaker Oatmeal Weight Control is an ideal food to incorporate into a healthful diet for those trying to control their weight.

There are several reasons for why the simple act of eating breakfast helps you to manage your weight:

• You may be less likely to overeat later in the day, according to The National Institutes of Health (2) When you eat breakfast, you eat more foods that help promote a healthy weight, such as high-fiber foods and milk products (1)
• Breakfast foods help you feel full or satisfied, which may help you manage your body weight.
• When people have a whole grain breakfast, like Quaker Oats, research shows they eat less fat and cholesterol the rest of the day.

Make eating daily breakfast part of your healthy eating plan for weight control.