Why Bother With Breakfast?

Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refueling it needs. Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to be physically active — two great ways to help maintain a healthy weight.

Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. In the morning, their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead. Their mood and energy can drop by midmorning if they don't eat something for breakfast.

Breakfast may help keep kids' weight in check. Breakfast kick-starts the body's metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories. And some studies suggest that bodies burn calories better in the morning than late at night.

People who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight because they may:

• Snack more often throughout the day.

• Overeat at later meals.

• Eat late at night.