[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Duyul] Is it really necessary to eat breakfast during the busy morning commute?
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's data on breakfast skipping rates from 2012 to 2021, the rate in 2021 was 31.7%, which is 8.3 percentage points higher than the 23.4% recorded nine years earlier in 2012.
By age group, those aged 19-29 had the highest rate at 53.0%, followed by 30-49 at 39.1%, and 12-18 at 34.5%.
As the saying goes, "Rice is medicine," proper nutrition and healthy eating habits are essential for maintaining a healthy life.
From the last meal of the previous day until breakfast the next morning, the body is in a fasting state, so it is necessary to supply appropriate nutrients and energy through a quality breakfast. Skipping breakfast can lead to insufficient energy, which impairs brain activation and results in decreased reasoning, concentration, and cognitive abilities.
Also, staying hungry until lunch increases the frequency of snacking or the possibility of overeating at lunch.
Overeating at lunch can delay dinner, and if lunch is not properly replenished, it can lead to overeating at dinner, increasing the natural risk of consuming high-calorie foods or alcohol.
If one goes to sleep without fully digesting a large late-night meal, it becomes difficult to get a good night's sleep, leading to discomfort the next morning and skipping breakfast, which naturally forms eating habits that are far from healthy.
Hwang Hyerim, head of the Comprehensive Health Examination Center at Daedong Hospital, said, "Regular meals for a healthy life must include breakfast," adding, "Proper nutrition from breakfast helps maintain levels of blood pressure, hormones, and cholesterol, and aids in preventing obesity, so it is important to develop eating habits that fit one's daily routine."
In today's busy society, it is not easy to prepare different soups or side dishes for breakfast every day.
The reason breakfast is important is to provide adequate nutrition and relieve hunger, so it is recommended to eat simple foods rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients necessary for our body.
Especially, supplementing protein helps reduce appetite by providing a feeling of fullness, so foods using tofu or eggs are good choices. If cooking breakfast is burdensome, boiled eggs, protein drinks, salads, low-fat yogurt, and whole grain bread are also good options.
On the other hand, foods often chosen for breakfast that contain high amounts of sugar, such as cereals, beverages, fruit juices, bread made from refined flour, and sausages high in sodium, can lead to nutritional imbalance and should be avoided.
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