It's a myth that eating a large breakfast means consuming fewer calories during the day, according to researchers in Germany.

The study, published in Nutrition Journal, showed that people still eat the same amount at lunch and dinner.

The scientists suggest reducing breakfast calories could help people lose weight.

The British Dietetic Association said eating breakfast was important for a balanced diet.

Starting the day with a hearty breakfast has often been linked with weight loss.

Not cutting back

The team at the University of Munich followed nearly 400 people for a fortnight.

The patients kept a diary of what they ate, at what time and how much it weighed.

Some had large breakfasts, some small and some skipped the meal.

People who had a big breakfast, on average 400 calories larger than a small one, consumed around 400 more calories in a day.

Dr Volker Schusdziarra, lead researcher, said: "The results of the study showed that people ate the same at lunch and dinner, regardless of what they had for breakfast."

Experts still say that breakfast has an important role to play.

Sian Porter, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, said: "It has been shown that people who eat breakfast have more balanced diets than those who skip this meal, are less likely to be overweight, lose weight more successfully and have reduced risk of certain diseases.

"Missing breakfast may lead you to snack on less healthy foods later on in the morning and you won't necessarily catch up nutritionally later in the day if you skip breakfast.

I do not have enough posts to link it but it is on BBC News under health

True you may consume more- but did those people who consumed the large breakfast gain weight? That would be important to know. I'm guessing a great majority didn't or they would most likely have pointed that out.

I know since eating breakfast regularly I eat much more healthy and don't binge like I used to in the evenings because I was starving.

Interesting study, and I thank you for letting us know about it. Here's the link: BBC Article.

My biggest concern with the study was its size; under 400 people for two weeks doesn't seem like a significant enough sample to draw conclusions. I'd also like to know what constitutes a "big" breakfast according to the study; my idea of a big breakfast is a 300-calorie egg and cheese English muffin and 150 calories' worth of cereal and milk, but that gigantor plate in the picture has to be 800 calories if it's an ounce.

There's another study linked right below this one that suggests a big breakfast aids in weight loss back in 2008. This one was an interesting read too, although it seemed to take a dim view of low-carb plans.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that diet, hunger, and weight loss are such highly individual issues that the only way any of us can get the best plan is to become an "experiment of one," carefully track our own weight and nutrition, and make our choices accordingly. Studies are valuable guides, but ultimately we may have to fiddle around a bit to find out if we do better with a big breakfast or a small one.

One thing that both studies point out, though, is that some kind of breakfast helps with weight loss even if they are in opposition about whether that breakfast should be big or small.

400 people is huge for a nutrition research study, at least one that tries to manipulate a variable rather than analyze observational (survey) data. If it's an observational study, 400 people is sufficient to find significant correlations, but, of course, correlation does not mean causation.

The "6-meals a day or your metabolism slows" thing is a myth, unsupported by credible research. I suspect the "eating breakfast helps with weight loss" meme will go the same way. It's calories in, calories out.

//b. strong,
Kim

For me, eating a good breakfast helps me regulate my eating schedule. If I eat a small breakfast, I end up eating 4-5 meals that day (which may or may not be smaller than my usual meals). I usually eat an egg on and english muffin. That keeps me good for 3 meals and a afternoon snack. Some say more small meals are better. But 3 larger meals fits my schedule better, and I often find my "smaller" meals aren't small enough.

But it depends on the individual. My sister and mom can eat a granola bar and be good for hours. A granola bar lasts me a good 30 min

There's a book out called The Big Breakfast Diet. I haven't read the book through, just peeked inside online. You have to eat a big breakfast with adequate protein and can have any treat you want, as long as you eat it before 9 A.M. or 10 A.M., depending on season. After that there are no processed carbs and am not sure about the other restrictions.

It was compared to a low carb diet as the control. The low carb dieters lost slightly more weight over the initial time frame- several months. However, the big breakfast dieters did better long term. Many of the low carbers regained during "maintenance", whereas the big breakfast dieters continued to lose weight during the "maintenance phase".

I hadn't realized that Nola Celeste's other study is the one in the book. Click on her link for more info.

I didn't realize 400 was a big number for a dietary study; it seems like such a small number of people from which to extrapolate a new dietary recommendation. Of course, I can imagine what a PITA it'd be to get four hundred people to eat a particular kind or size of breakfast for 10 or 14 days, so from that standpoint it seems pretty big.

Calories in, calories out is absolutely true. However, I suspect that most people find calories taken in at specific times or comprising specific foods make it a little easier to adhere to a more appropriate number. My metabolism doesn't slow if I miss a meal, but I become a miserable ogre who wants nothing more than to eat an entire cake and take a nap.

I used to feel hungrier on 2500 calories a day than I currently do on 1500 because I ate calorie-dense food in one massive, hours-long, end-of-day meal instead of bulkier, less calorie-dense stuff in little bits and bites throughout the day. I know of at least a few posters, though, who eat only a couple or three meals a day and do great. Everyone's mileage seems to vary pretty widely.

Deetermined2: cool, I didn't know it was a book as well as a study. I just happened across it at the end of the BBC article DreamsOfAtropos pointed out. I don't know that I could hang with the idea of a treat that early in the morning--of course, maybe that's why the author made that stipulation. Fettuccini alfredo seems much less tempting at nine in the morning than it does at nine in the evening.

I just can't eat breakfast. I have tried and I can't pull it off. it takes me hours before the hunger kicks in and then I will eat.
I am trying to learn to listen to my body and when it is hungry. If I force myself to eat breakfast just because I should... what is the point of listening to your body's natural hunger cues?

I still eat bigger lunches and dinners though I eat breakfast but I dont snack at all during the day. so thats just 3 meals for me. If I dont eat breakfast come lunch I am so hungry that I give in and get something I shouldnt. Eating breakfast not only gives me energy it also helps me make better choices through out the day. A big breakfast gives me much more energy then a bowl of grape nuts or what have you. I never thought of eating breakfast as a way to cut my calories for the rest of the day just make the rest of the day fit into the amount of stuff I am staying with in.

I have found it hard to believe for years that eating breakfast makes you eat less throughout the day, despite all the lectures and studies that said otherwise.

I'm just not hungry when I wake up, and when I force myself to eat in the morning I end up overdoing it for the day....I know my hunger comes in full force at suppertime no matter what. If I have eaten a big breakfast I either have to feel like I'm starving the whole evening or overeat because I'm piling the larger meal I DO want on top of that extra meal that felt unnecessary anyway.

Hurray for the studies that contradict the other studies!!
I formally take this information to mean that I should ignore all that mess and just go with what my gut tells me.

THIS. Exactly. If i eat breakfast i simply don't stop eating. If not, i don't feel hungry until at [I]least[I] midday.

I recently started doing IF because i realised that this pattern was right for [B]me[B] and never mind what the conventional wisdom is.

Hi there dear. Sorry to bug you but how did you get that little scale showing how much weight you've lost onto a profile? I want one...
Thanks!

It takes discipline to apply some concepts like this otherwise the same replica will always be featured in this journals. Taking a large breakfast is good sing you will remain active the whole day and much of it will be converted to energy to keep you moving.
haha! you cant take a big brake fast hoping to remain satisfied for the whole day; you will automatically take some more food in the day.