Hong Kong pupils who eat breakfast daily ‘18 months ahead of those who skip the meal’
University researchers raise the alarm after finding that children eat breakfast less often as they get older
Children who eat breakfast every day perform as well in tests as pupils who are 18 months older but skip food in the morning, a Chinese University study found.
One academic said starting the day with a good meal was more beneficial for youngsters than signing them up for extra tutorials.
But the right food is equally important, with a combination of carbohydrates and protein being the optimal meal.
Researchers at the faculty of education analysing data from 15,000 schoolchildren and 12,000 parents over the past six months were alarmed to discover that fewer pupils eat breakfast regularly as they grow older.
While 75 per cent of Primary Three pupils eat breakfast seven days a week, this falls to 60 per cent in Primary Six and only 41 per cent by Secondary Three.