Eating a High-Protein Breakfast Increases Metabolism in Teens, Study Notes

Teens who regularly eat a high-protein breakfast had a faster metabolism rate than those who skipped breakfast often, a new study finds.

The study was conducted by researchers from Michigan University. Many studies in the past have touted the importance of breakfast. In fact, it is said that this is the most important meal of the day. Researchers have established that people who consume breakfast daily are not only healthier but are able to lose weight more quickly. Throwing more light on this hypothesis, researchers of the current study looked into the role breakfast habits play in a person’s metabolism.

Researchers found that habitual breakfast skippers experienced poorer glucose control throughout the day when they consumed a high-protein breakfast, whereas those who typically ate a high-carbohydrate breakfast had improved glucose control after they ate a high-protein breakfast.

"Current scientific evidence shows that sustained elevations in post-meal glucose is a strong contributor of poor glycemic control and is associated with an increased risk for the development of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications,” Heather Leidy, an assistant professor in the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, said in a press statement. "Because of the potential risk in the long term, identifying dietary strategies that individuals can begin when they are young to reduce post-meal elevations in glucose might prevent the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease."

The study included 35 overweight young women who habitually ate breakfast or habitually skipped breakfast. The habitual breakfast skippers were given a high-carbohydrate breakfast, a high-protein breakfast or continued to skip breakfast consecutively for three days. The other group of participants ate a high-carbohydrate breakfast or a high-protein breakfast consecutively for four days. On the fourth day of each pattern, the researchers measured the subjects' blood glucose, or blood sugar levels throughout the day.

The study authors noted that young women's glucose responses to high-protein versus high-carbohydrate breakfasts were influenced by their typical breakfast habits. For those who skipped breakfast regularly, eating a high-protein breakfast led to elevated glucose levels throughout the day compared to skipping breakfast, whereas the standard, high-carbohydrate breakfast did not influence these responses.

"These findings may indicate an increased inability among habitual breakfast skippers to metabolize a large quantity of protein," Leidy said. "Unfortunately, we don't yet know how long someone who has been skipping breakfast needs to continue eating breakfast to experience benefits. However, our data would suggest that once someone begins to eat breakfast, they should gradually transition to a breakfast with more protein -- or about 30 grams -- to elicit improvements in glycemic control."

The study authors recommend that teenage women should aim at consuming a 350-calorie breakfast daily, with about 30 gm of protein. Their meal could include foods such scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos with eggs and lean meats, or Greek yogurt.

This is one of the several studies that highlight the importance of breakfast. A study conducted in July revealed that skipping breakfast increases the risk of heart attacks, while another study said it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

However, like there are two sides to every coin, this topic has also drawn its fair share of controversies. For example, in a span of two months, two very contradicting findings were revealed.

One study claimed that skipping breakfast leads to overeating at lunch, which in turn leads to weight gain. If you think of it practically, it makes sense, doesn't it!

A few weeks later, another study by Cornell University researchers was released, which suggested that skipping breakfast can actually help you lose weight in a healthy manner. David Levitsky, Cornell professor of nutritional sciences and psychology, argued that if you skip breakfast, you don't consume more calories at lunch to make up for breakfast. This way a person’s daily intake of calories decreases.

Findings of the study were published online in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The research was funded by the Beef Checkoff and the Egg Nutrition Center. The funders were not involved in the design, implementation, analysis or interpretation of data.

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