A study with young people in Hong Kong confirmed that individuals with higher levels of depressive symptoms and/or tendency to impulsive reactions are more likely to “jump” breakfast.
Breakfast is regarded as the most important meal of the daybecause it helps to replace the energy and provides essential nutrients after the Prolonged Fast of the Night.
For many, it is also the time to start the day calmly or in conviviality with the family.
Depending on the country and its respective morning, cultural and availability customs, it is normal for different parts of the world to consume different foods to breakfast.
In most western countriesthe morning meal includes eggs, toast, cereals, fruit, yogurt or milk. Already in east Asianusually includes rice, soup, pickled vegetables or steam cooked breads.
Some people prefer a light breakfastlike a beaten or coffee, while others choose a more substantial meal.
Previous studies have shown that taking breakfast can improve concentration, memory and academic performance in the children.
Can also help regulate metabolism and maintain a healthy weight. Jumping breakfast has been associated with a Higher risk of eating in excess Throughout the day and the worse overall quality of the diet.
In a new one, recently published in Frontiers in Psychiatrythe habit of not taking breakfast has now been associated with depressive symptoms and the tendency to impulsive reactions.
The study also found a relationship, which can be considered negligible, between jumping breakfast and anxiety.
The main author of the study, Stephanie Ming Yin Wongand their colleagues sought to explore breakfast consumption patterns among young people from Hong Kong and investigate associations between the habit of jumpingimpulsivity and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Researchers analyzed data from the Hong Kong’s Youth Mental Health Study (HK-YES), the first mental health study based on households conducted throughout the territory and specifically directed to young people from 15 to 24 years.
The data were collected between 2019 and 2022and most study participants, 58%, were female. The analysis included data from 3,154 participantswith an average age of 20 years, informs the.
Participants answered questions About their breakfast habits and completed impulsive assessments, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and general functioning.
The results showed that 85% two participants they took breakfast daily or intermittently, while 15% avoided regularly.
Individuals who did not take breakfast tended to be slightly more impulsiveespecially with regard to the control of attention and the Self -control. Also reported depressive symptoms slightly more severe and marginally higher levels of anxiety.
Compared to their peers that took breakfast, those who avoided it reported on average minus one productivity day per month and one slightly lower social and occupational functioning.
“The habit of jumping breakfast is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms in young people, and the deficit in controlling attention is an important mechanism in this relationship,” the study authors say.
Encourage young people to establish regular breakfast habits It can be integrated into future lifestyle interventions to deal with mental disturbances and should be more emphasized in public health policies, ”the authors concluded.
The study helps to clarify The connection between habits related to breakfast and mental health. However, it is important to note that all associations found were weak and were only detectable due to the high size of the sample.
In addition, it should be noted that the study was conducted only with residents of Hong Kong, so Results may differ in other cultural contexts.
