Do you often skip your breakfast? While there are enough studies to tell you why you must tuck into a wholesome breakfast before you get started for the day, there is a latest study that emphasises on eating it with your family. According to a recent study, consistently eating breakfast as a family can help promote positive body image for children and adolescents.
If you want to raise your children to be confident about their body and appearance, you may find help in your kitchen every morning.
"We know that developing healthy behaviours in adolescence such as eating breakfast every day and eating family meals can have long-term effects into adulthood. Children and adolescents are under a lot of pressure from social media and pop culture when it comes to physical appearance. Having a healthy relationship with food from eating breakfast and spending meal time with family might have a significant impact on well-being," said Virginia Ramseyer, one of the lead researchers.
For the study, the team analysed data from more than 12,000 students in more than 300 schools in all 50 states and Washington D.C. As part of their investigation, they looked into the data related to eating behaviours, including frequency of eating breakfast and eating meals with a parent.
The findings revealed that eating breakfast during the week more frequently was associated with positive body image. Children were much more likely to have a positive body image if they regularly had breakfast in their parents' company.
According to the data, just over half of the sample reported eating breakfast five days a week. Nearly 17 per cent reported never eating breakfast and more than 30 per cent ate breakfast fewer than five times a week.
Another startling finding of the study was that boys were more likely to eat breakfast than girls.
"We know that the health behaviours of a parent can have long-term effects on a child. Results of this study suggest that positive interactions with food-- such as eating breakfast and having family meals together-- could be associated with body image," Ramseyer asserted.
(With inputs IANS)