“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is more than just a slogan. For the first time, a report has detailed how EU Member States communicate around, and promote consumption of, breakfast. The Importance of Breakfast in Europe: A Review of National Policies and Health Campaigns – produced by the Breakfast is Best campaign and co-authored by nutrition and behaviour expert Professor Louise Dye of the University of Leeds – takes a look into the way governments communicate around, and promote consumption of, breakfast.

The report examined 16 countries’ policies on healthy lifestyles and diet and found that while health and lifestyle implications of regular breakfast consumption are largely understood, many European governments still do not devote sufficient effort to encouraging people to have breakfast. It is also clear that there are currently no EU level campaigns dedicated to promoting breakfast consumption.

The assessment is based on on four criteria – referencing the importance of breakfast in official documentation, monitoring and measuring breakfast consumption data, providing clear and user-friendly information and organising or supporting ongoing campaigns. The report found that while half of all countries met all four measures (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and the UK), Germany and the Republic of Ireland only met three, Austria, France and Greece met two, the Czech Republic only one, while Poland and Romania met none of the four.

Commenting on the findings, Professor Louise Dye explained: “It is encouraging that the importance of breakfast is being acknowledged by policymakers, as evidenced by the majority of health (or other relevant) ministries referencing the importance of breakfast in their materials. The EU and Member States should increase their focus on breakfast consumption as part of healthy diet and living strategies, and better inform the general public on the well supported evidence of the benefits of positive breakfast behaviour throughout one’s lifetime.”

Dr. Vincenzo Costigliola of the European Medical Association added: “The benefits of breakfast are clear and scientifically proven, and it is essential that decision-makers wake up to the importance of breakfast and play a full part in encouraging Europeans to eat breakfast more regularly.”

The Breakfast is Best coalition is calling for public health authorities to include breakfast in health guidance to recommend breakfast consumption. To that end, more funding should be dedicated to monitoring breakfast consumption statistics, trends and initiatives on an EU and Member State level, as well as the link between breakfast promotion and public health. The Importance of Breakfast in Europe: A Review of National Policies and Health Campaigns and our full call to action can be found on www.breakfastisbest.eu.

ENDS

For further information, please email info@breakfastisbest.eu or visit www.breakfastisbest.eu.

On the ‘Breakfast is Best’ coalition:

The ‘Breakfast is Best’ coalition, established in 2008, gathers the European associations representing medical doctors (EMA – European Medical Association), dietitians (EFAD - European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians), pediatricians (CEDE - le Club Européen des Diététiciens de l’Enfance) and breakfast cereal producers (CEEREAL – European Breakfast Cereal Association).

The purpose of the coalition is to significantly increase awareness among European and national level decision makers about the importance of breakfast and ensure that the message “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is as well understood and acted upon as the advice to “eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day”.

The ‘Breakfast is Best’ coalition calls on European leaders to put breakfast at the heart of public health promotion campaigns and encourage Europeans to “Make Time for Breakfast” as a significant but achievable step towards achieving healthier lifestyles. In order to achieve this, BIB has set some clear objectives:

1. Ensuring that, by 2020, all EU countries include the importance of eating breakfast in their nutrition policies and monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator.
2. “Eat breakfast everyday” is added to standard nutrition advice and the importance of breakfast is included in school curricula and employee health initiatives.
3. The WHO/Europe “Health 2020 strategy” and EU actions on health inequalities reflect the importance of eating breakfast for long-term health outcomes.

The Importance of Breakfast in Europe: A Review of National Policies and Health Campaigns takes a unique look into the way governments communicate around and promote consumption of breakfast in 16 European countries and is the result of months of work conducted by the Breakfast is Best campaign – which includes the European Breakfast Cereal Association (CEEREAL), the European Medical Association (EMA), the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD) and the European Club of Paediatric Dietitians/le Club Européen des Diététiciens de l’Enfance (CEDE) – and Professor Louise Dye, an expert on nutrition and behaviour at the University of Leeds.

The review examines what health ministries and agencies say about breakfast, whether they actively promote breakfast consumption in health campaigns aimed particularly at children and adolescents, and the clarity and accessibility of the material used to do so. In addressing the information gaps in Europe on the importance of breakfast, the report celebrates the countries that are actively promoting the consumption of breakfast while at the same time drawing attention to the gaps that exist from country to country. The report compares these findings to breakfast consumption figures, drawing on data from the latest “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” (HBSC) study published in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO)¹. Breakfast is Best ultimately aims to work towards achieving the inclusion of breakfast consumption as a key health recommendation across the European Union, and this report is a first step towards this.

Access the full report here.

Access the stand-alone Executive Summary here.

The EURACTIV Stakeholder Workshop entitled “Promotion of healthy diets in the EU: What role for breakfast?” takes place on 6 December 2017 from 8:30-10:30 at the EURACTIV Network Office, Boulevard Charlemagne 1, 1040 Brussels. Coinciding with the publication of The Importance of Breakfast in Europe report, the workshop will discuss how to tackle the nutrition agenda at both EU and national level and explore the report’s findings. On the occasion of this event, EURACTIV has produced an infographic incorporating some findings from our report.

Discussion topics:

• How can we engage decision-makers to promote breakfast as part of a balanced lifestyle?
• How is healthy nutrition being promoted across the EU Member States?
• Have current national campaigns and policies achieved their goals?
• What are the best practices on healthy nutrition promotion among EU Member States?
• What kind of communication tools can be leveraged to improve nutrition knowledge and practices?

Discussion contributors:

For more information on the Stakeholder Workshop please visit http://events.euractiv.com/event/info/promotion-of-healthy-diets-in-the-eu-what-role-for-breakfast

^{(1) Inchley J et al., eds. Growing up unequal: gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and well-being. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2013/2014 survey. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2016 (Health Policy for Children and Adolescents, No. 7). Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/303438/HSBC-No.7-Growing-up-unequal-Full-Report.pdf.}

With about 60 million people living with diabetes in the European Region alone, or about 10.3% of men and 9.6% of women aged 25 years and over, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing among all ages, mostly due to increases in overweight and obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity⁽¹⁾. With the World Health Organization projecting that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030⁽²⁾, there is an urgent need for European policymakers to encourage healthy eating at Member State level. One of the ways to prevent this growing epidemic is by adopting a healthier lifestyle; and key to this is a balanced and healthy diet, including regular breakfast consumption.

Breakfast consumption can not only help manage and reduce the risk of diabetes, but can also play a fundamental role in lowering the chances of other non-communicable diseases such as obesity, blood pressure and low nutritional intake. A growing body of scientific research shows that breakfast-skipping is linked to sedentary lifestyles, a slower metabolism and poor dietary choices.⁽³⁾ It is therefore essential that policymakers ensure that a positive attitude towards the significance of breakfast is developed throughout Europe.

To quote Dr. Duane Mellor, an eminent academic in the field of dietetics⁽⁴⁾, “What is emerging is that including breakfast as part of your daily routine can help maintain more stable blood sugar (glucose) levels after lunch and dinner later in the day. This effect has been seen in both people with and without type 2 diabetes. So, breakfast can play a key role in maintaining stable blood sugars, throughout the day.”⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾

BIB’s European Call for Action encourages national health authorities and policymakers from across Europe to adopt the following approach to promote the health benefits of breakfast on a local, national and European level:

1. Ensuring that, by 2020, all EU countries include the importance of eating breakfast in their nutrition policies, and monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator;
2. ‘Eat breakfast everyday’ is added to standard nutrition advice and the importance of breakfast is included in school curricula and employee health initiatives;
3. The World Health Organization Europe ‘Health 2020 strategy’ and European Union actions on health inequalities reflect the importance of eating breakfast for long-term health outcomes.

Together, members of the Breakfast is Best campaign and a wide range of supporters call on Europe’s leaders to put breakfast at the heart of public health promotion campaigns and encourage Europeans to ‘Make Time for Breakfast’ as a significant but achievable step towards achieving healthier lifestyles.

You can show your support and sign the ‘Make Time for Breakfast Pledge’ here: www.breakfastisbest.eu/pledge.

Contact

For further information on Breakfast is Best please visit our website www.breakfastisbest.eu or contact Sylvie Aitken on +32 2 510 6022.

⁽¹⁾ WHO Europe, Diabetes Data and statistics, http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases/diabetes/data-and-statistics
⁽²⁾ WHO, Diabetes Factsheet, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/
⁽³⁾ Some examples include: Adolphus K., Lawton C. and Dye L., The effects of breakfast on behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents, Human Appetite Research Unit, Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds; Williams PG., The Benefits of Breakfast Cereal Consumption: A Systematic Review of the Evidence Base. ADV NUTR 2014:4:5:636S-673S; Currie C et al., eds. Social determinants of health and well-being among young people. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2009/2010 survey. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2012 (Health Policy for Children and Adolescents, No. 6).
⁽⁴⁾ Dr. Duane Mellor is assistant Professor in Dietetics at the University of Nottingham, UK, Spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Lead of the European Specialist Dietetic Network for Diabetes of the European Federation of the Associations of Dieticians (EFAD).
⁽⁵⁾ http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2014/06/04/ajcn.114.083402
⁽⁶⁾ http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/38/10/1820.abstract

Currently approximately 42 million children under the age of five around the globe are either overweight or obese⁽¹⁾, with forecasts predicting that 41% of the entire world’s population will be overweight or obese by 2030⁽²⁾. With diet related diseases including heart failure and stroke amongst the world’s biggest killers, the next generation is expected to live even shorter lives than their parents if nothing is done.

The global Food Revolution Day petition encourages leaders and governments of all G20 countries to make food education a compulsory part of every school curriculum, thereby educating children about food and cooking, and empowering people to fight obesity.

Breakfast is Best believes that a balanced and healthy diet, including regular breakfast consumption, is key to combating chronic diseases and adopting healthier lifestyles and is a strong advocate for initiatives such as Food Revolution Day. It calls on policymakers to include the importance of breakfast in dietary recommendations and to monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator. With this in mind we encourage you to sign our ‘Make Time for Breakfast Pledge’, which can be viewed in full online at www.breakfastisbest.eu/pledge.

The #FoodRevolutionDay petition can be viewed and signed here. Follow @BreakfastIsBest for updates and information on healthy lifestyles and healthy eating.

Contact:

To learn more about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day campaign, please visit www.foodrevolutionday.com or #FoodRevolutionDay.

For further information on the Breakfast is Best initiative, please visit our website www.breakfastisbest.eu, contact us through Twitter @BreakfastIsBest or contact Sylvie Aitken on +32 2 510 6022.

⁽¹⁾ WHO | Obesity and overweight. 2015. WHO | Fact sheet N°311, Updated January 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/. [Accessed 12 May 2015].
⁽²⁾ McKinsey: Obesity costs global society 2.0 trillion a year | Consultancy.uk. 2015. McKinsey: Obesity costs global society 2.0 trillion a year, 24 November 2014 | Consultancy.uk. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.consultancy.uk/news/1078/mckinsey-obesity-costs-global-society-20-trillion-a-year. [Accessed 12 May 2015].

The report is the product of a collaboration between Professor Louise Dye, Professor of Nutrition and Behaviour from the University of Leeds and Breakfast is Best, a coalition made up of representatives of Europe’s teachers, doctors, dietitians, paediatric dietitians, and breakfast cereal industry.

Building on the WHO HBSC report from 2009/2010⁽¹⁾ which looks at breakfast consumption patterns across the EU amongst children and adolescents, this report examines health information provided in 17 European countries with regard to breakfast consumption, showcasing the countries that are actively promoting and monitoring the consumption of breakfast. The report will be officially launched in the second half of 2015, in a high level roundtable in Brussels.

Judith Liddell, Secretary General of EFAD, the European Federation of the Association of Dietitians explained: ‘With this report, we will be able to see which European countries are actively promoting breakfast consumption and will look to share best practices within the whole of Europe.’

The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing, resulting in huge economic and social implications. The collective impact of the major chronic diseases – diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases - is estimated to account for 86% of deaths across Europe and 77% of the disease burden.⁽²⁾

The Breakfast is Best campaign is calling on policymakers to include the importance of breakfast in dietary recommendations and to monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator. This report builds on the launch of our ‘Make Time for Breakfast Pledge’ in 2012, which calls on policymakers to take the necessary steps to promote breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The pledge can be viewed in full online at www.breakfastisbest.eu/pledge

Contact

For further information please visit our website www.breakfastisbest.eu or contact Sylvie Aitken on +32 2 510 6022.

⁽¹⁾ http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/163857/Social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.pdf
⁽²⁾ http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases

Breakfast is Best, a multi-stakeholder science-based campaign involving Europe’s teachers, dietitians, doctors and the breakfast cereal industry, brought together a high number of health experts to discuss the importance of breakfast in healthy lifestyles. The chat, co-hosted by Dr. Duane Mellor, an eminent academic in the field of dietetics, and Azmina Govindji, an award-winning dietitian, looked to answer a number of questions such as what the impact of breakfast skipping is and whether Europe can afford to ignore its benefits.

Dr. Mellor said that the “chat raised awareness around breakfast and its role in promoting healthy lifestyles” and he responded to a number of questions on how it can “play a role in the management and prevention of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.” Azmina Govindji added that the “success of the chat shows the urgent need to inform EU citizens about the health benefits of a balanced breakfast. On that basis, we urge policy makers to come together to ensure EU countries include the importance of eating a healthy breakfast in their nutrition policies.”

Throughout the one hour Twitter chat, Dr. Mellor and Ms. Govindji interacted with over 60 expert dietitians and nutritionists, a number of academics, as well as health organisations including the European Association for the Study of Obesity, the Registered Dietitians UK Association and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation.

We are also very happy that the Twitter chat has brought attention to the Breakfast is Best pledge – more than 50 people have signed our ‘Make Time for Breakfast’ pledge in the week leading up to and after the Twitter chat. We continue to urge everyone committed to raising awareness of the importance of breakfast in preventing and managing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes or obesity to show their support by signing our ‘Make Time for Breakfast Pledge’.

The Twitter chat was a fantastic tribute to World Diabetes Day and we would like to thank everyone who participated in the chat and contributed to the discussions.

Contact

For further information please visit our website www.breakfastisbest.eu or contact Ana Burton Garcia on +32 2 515 00 15.

Additional information

Dr. Duane Mellor is assistant Professor in Dietetics at the University of Nottingham, UK, Spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Lead of the European Specialist Dietetic Network for Diabetes of the European Federation of the Associations of Dieticians (EFAD).

Azmina Govindji is an award-winning dietitian and media nutritionist, best-selling author and media spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

A copy of the Twitter Hour chat can be found here: https://storify.com/BreakfastIsBest.

On World Diabetes Day, the Breakfast is Best coalition – representatives of Europe’s teachers, doctors, dietitians, pediatric dietitians and the breakfast cereal industry – join the International Diabetes Federation in calling on the wider community to ‘Go Blue for Breakfast’ to highlight the importance of healthy eating to help prevent type 2 diabetes. Judith Liddell, Secretary General of the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD), adds “we are very pleased that World Diabetes Day is focusing on the need for breakfast; we continue to urge all EU countries to stress the importance of this meal in their nutrition policies by 2020.”

With over 53 million people suffering from diabetes in Europe alone⁽¹⁾ – a number which is set to rise to 66.5 million by 2030 and account for 8.1% of the adult population⁽²⁾ – breakfast consumption can not only help manage and reduce the risk of diabetes, but can also play a fundamental role in preventing other non-communicable diseases such as obesity, blood pressure and low nutritional intake⁽³⁾. A growing body of scientific research shows that breakfast-skipping is linked to sedentary lifestyles, a slower metabolism and poor dietary choices.

According to Dr. Duane Mellor, “World Diabetes Day is a good opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles and including the value of eating breakfast in addressing this health epidemic.”

As part of World Diabetes Day we will hold a Twitter Hour chat on Friday, November 14th from 11:00-12:00 CET with Duane Mellor and Azmina Govindji who will answer questions around the importance of breakfast in promoting healthy lifestyles and its role in the management and prevention of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. To participate or follow the debate, simply tune in live by following @BreakfastIsBest and #BIBGoesBlue. We also urge everyone committed to raising awareness of risk factors associated with diabetes – such as being overweight or obesity – to show their support by signing our ‘Make Time for Breakfast Pledge’.

Contact

For further information please visit our website www.breakfastisbest.eu or contact Ana Burton Garcia on +32 2 515 00 15.

⁽¹⁾ IDF Diabetes Atlas, 6th edition, 2014
⁽²⁾ WHO, Diabetes Factsheet, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en
⁽³⁾ IDF Diabetes Atlas, 6th edition, 2014

As you pointed out during your speech, over half of European adults are overweight or obese. Similarly, WHO Europe in a 2014 report noted that more than 20% of children and adolescents across Europe are overweight, with a third of them being obese.⁽¹⁾ This is an alarming statistic and one that needs to be addressed urgently. The enormous economic and social implications of the obesity epidemic are vast, and coming up with a European solution to the problem is key to improve the lives of European citizens, national health systems, and the European economy as a whole: successfully tackling obesity should be a high priority for legislators across Europe.

The role of breakfast in addressing the obesity epidemic needs to be stressed. A regular breakfast is part of a healthy diet, which in turn has traditionally been considered an important factor in a healthy lifestyle. A growing body of scientific research has shown that breakfast contributes to the quality and quantity of a person’s daily dietary intake. Breakfast-skipping has been linked to sedentary lifestyles, a slower metabolism, and poor dietary choices, including more frequent unhealthy snacking throughout the day. It has also been linked to learning difficulties, poor school performance and behavioural issues.⁽²⁾

The objective of the Breakfast is Best campaign is to ensure that by 2020 all EU countries stress the importance of eating breakfast in their nutrition policies, and monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator. As part of this campaign, we have created the “Make Time for Breakfast Pledge”, which calls for action by policymakers across Europe to improve rates of regular breakfast eating.

In that regard, Mr. Borg, we the undersigned members of the Breakfast is Best campaign invite you to sign our pledge and show your continued support for making breakfast an important component of European diets. In signing the pledge, we hope you will impart your legacy on your successor in the European Commission.

Currently we have over 500 signatories including a number of your DG SANCO colleagues as well as Parliamentarians and the European Health Forum Gastein amongst other international health associations and policy makers.

Please find attached the full text of the pledge. For further information and to sign the Breakfast is Best pledge, please visit www.breakfastisbest.eu/pledge.

Yours sincerely,

             Sylvie Aitken
             Breakfast is Best Secretariat

⁽¹⁾ WHO Europe, Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the European Region: a progress report, 2014
⁽²⁾ Some examples include: Adolphus K., Lawton C. and Dye L., The effects of breakfast on behavior and academic performance in children and adolescents, Human Appetite Research Unit, Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds; Williams PG., The Benefits of Breakfast Cereal Consumption: A Systematic Review of the Evidence Base. ADV NUTR 2014:4:5:636S-673S; WHO Europe, Health behaviour in school-aged children international report from the 2009/2010 survey, Social determinants of health and well-being among young people, 2009/2010

In collaboration with:

The implications of Europe’s poor health are profound. The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing with huge economic and social implications. The collective impact of the major chronic diseases – diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases - is estimated to account for 86% of deaths across Europe and 77% of the disease burden3. A balanced diet is essential in following a healthy lifestyle, and regular breakfast consumption is a key part of this. The impact of breakfast and its importance should therefore be actively promoted and included in national nutritional guidelines.

The Breakfast is Best campaign is calling on policymakers to include the importance of breakfast in dietary recommendations and to monitor breakfast consumption as a key health indicator. To find out more about our campaign and existing initiatives to encourage regular breakfast eating across Europe, visit www.breakfastisbest.eu. This report and the Call to Action build on the launch of the Make Time for Breakfast Pledge in 2012, which calls on policymakers to take the necessary steps to promote breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle. The pledge can be viewed in full online at www.breakfastisbest.eu/pledge

One of the ways to combat chronic diseases is through adopting a healthier lifestyle. Key to this is a balanced and healthy diet, including regular breakfast consumption, which can help reduce risk factors such as blood pressure, obesity and low nutritional intake. Practicing dietician and Breakfast is Best coalition member Judith Liddell says “Making time for breakfast is a simple, but very significant step towards good health. A nutritious breakfast means a good start to the day – it’s an easy way to improve your daily diet and to make sure that you get the right nutrition at the start of every day”...

The Breakfast is Best campaign is calling on European policymakers to do more to encourage its citizens to have breakfast every day as part of a healthy lifestyle. To show your support on the occasion of the European Chronic Disease Summit, sign our pledge to ensure that breakfast remains on the policy agenda as a key health issue.

1. WHO. Noncommunicable-diseases. Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the European Region: a progress report (diabetes)
2. WHO. Noncommunicable-diseases. Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the European Region: a progress report (cardiovascular disease)
3. WHO. Noncommunicable-diseases. Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the European Region: a progress report (obesity)

In the UK, a range of private sector companies, non-governmental organisations  and individuals came together and tackled this issue head on. With support from financial institutions, the hospitality and leisure sector and the food sector, Magic Breakfast, a British charity, has succeeded in touching the lives of thousands of children in hundreds of schools.

Despite being one of the richest economies in the world, there are almost 4 million children in the UK growing up in poverty and an estimated 700,000 children arriving at school hungry, with a third of children regularly missing breakfast before school.

In the words of Carmel McConnell from Magic Breakfast, “A hungry child cannot concentrate. We think every child needs a healthy breakfast, ideally at home with their parents. But some parents cannot provide – so let’s not allow any child to miss out on their future success for want of a breakfast. That's why Magic Breakfast reaches into the heart of communities to close the attainment and nutrition gap and give every child the best start to every day.”

MagicBreakfast targets schools where over 50% of the children are living in poverty and eligible for Free School Meals (the UK average is 17%). The charity has identified 200 primary schools across the UK, where it now feeds free breakfasts (bagels, porridge, orange juice and cereals) to 6,000 children.

Carmel McConnell explains: “We make sure we reach the children most in need, the children who are arriving at school without having breakfast or in some cases any food since lunchtime the day before. We don’t believe in quick fixes for a larger social problem. But breakfast can go a long way to solving the problem of child hunger at the start of the school day.”

Children agree. Patrice from Hackney in London says that “I used to be very sleepy, but since I’ve been coming to breakfast club I’ve been on the ball.”

Teachers support the initiative too. Louise Nichols, Headteacher at Kingsmead Primary School, explains that “Magic Breakfast has meant a safe, happy start to the day for all Kingsmead children that need it. With Magic Breakfast’s help we have been able to make our breakfast club free and therefore accessible to all.”

Thousands of young people are skipping breakfast leaving them tired and irritable, says a study.

According to a survey of 10,000 parents across the UK around one in six secondary school pupils aged 11 to 16 don't have a morning meal.

The findings, published in a report by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), could account for low concentration levels in the classroom.

According to a study one in six secondary school pupils aged 11 to 16 don't have a morning meal, which could account for low concentration levels.

It concludes: 'Students going without breakfast cannot be at their best for learning during morning lessons and so can be less attentive and a disruption in class.'

Overall results showed that 15 per cent of secondary school pupils are going to school without breakfast - the equivalent of around four pupils in a class of 30.

Meanwhile 3.9 percent of primary school children, aged 4 to 11 are missing out.

The report, commissioned to mark National School Meals Week from November 7-11, also showed that many parents are still wary of free school meals (FSM).

Almost one in six (14.8 per cent) of parents with children eligible for FSM - a measure of poverty - said they did not take up this entitlement.

The main reasons given by parents were that they have a family meal in the evening, their child likes to eat with their friends and that they were worried their youngster would be identified as being on FSM.

Judy Hargadon, chief executive of the School Food Trust, highlighted that it must be the parent's responsibility to ensure that children are well fed before and during the school day.

She said: 'With school food no longer inspected by Ofsted, the influence of parents is very powerful for demanding that every child has a good experience at lunchtime.

'When children eat better, they do better, and how they feel about lunch can make or break their entire day at school.'

Despite concerns, the findings show an improvement from a similar study carried out last year.

A survey of 4,326 children, aged 10-16, in England by the University of Essex showed that almost a third of children regularly went without breakfast before school.

The findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that boys often blame lack of time, while many girls skipped meals to lose weight.

Click here to view the original article.

The event was led by a Judge (MEP John Bowis), the Inquisitor (Dr Ian Banks (European Men's Health Forum)), and expert witnesses Karin Hådell (European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians), Hugo Ramon (European Association of Teachers) and Dr Vincenzo Costigliola (European Medical Association), with the invited guests playing the crucial role of the Jury. Following a primary vote, which found nearly half the Jury supporting the charge, the panel of expert witnesses [who represent the four different pillars of the 'Breakfast is Best' campaign: health & nutrition, obesity, cognition and physical activity] were cross-examined by the Inquisitor.

Supporting witnesses and the event's jury were drawn from industry, trade associations, the EU institutions, Permanent Representations and the media.

The testimonies provided by the experts fuelled lively discussions on each of the tables, the results of which were noted by the appointed foreman and shared with all the jury members during dessert.

The final verdict was clear - Breakfast was found Not Guilty of Negligence. The trial's findings confirmed that breakfast has strong benefits ranging from general heart health and the reduction of obesity, to an increase in cognitive abilities and safety at the workplace. However, the trial demonstrated that more substantive actions need to be implemented to promote the important benefits of breakfast and to ensure that breakfast is treated as a serious public policy issue.

For the official press release please click here. For a selection of entertaining event photos please click here. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.

The mock trial will address the charge made against breakfast of negligence.

The panel of expert witnesses will each represent the four pillars of the ‘Breakfast is Best Campaign’ – health & nutrition, obesity, cognition and physical activity – where they will present about the importance of breakfast before being cross-examined by the inquisitor. The jury will then debate the issue and discuss the outcome over dinner before making a final vote as to whether breakfast is guilty of the aforementioned charge.

The event will begin at 18.30 with the Jury verdict due to be announced at 21.30.

To register for the event or to find out more information about ‘Breakfast on Trial’ contact us at info@breakfastisbest.eu

The alignment of ‘Breakfast is Best’ with the health white paper of DG Sanco – whose role is to help make Europe's citizens healthier, safer and more confident – is an important step forwards for the campaign and its members and proves that breakfast is being treated as a serious public policy issue by EU decision makers. One of the key aims of the Breakfast is Best campaign is to ensure that the benefits of breakfast become an integral element of relevant government communication activities.

DG Sanco and the Breakfast is Best campaigners are currently looking at ways to further maximise synergies to spread the message about the importance of breakfast.

Dr Vincenzo Costigliola, President, European Medical Association, states that: "The benefits of breakfast are clear and scientifically proven, and it is essential that decision-makers wake-up to the importance of breakfast and play a full part in encouraging Europeans to eat breakfast more regularly."

The fact that 61% of Europeans skip breakfast at least once a week, and that in many European countries the trend is towards eating breakfast less frequently, means that it is very important that breakfast is treated as a serious public policy issue. Karin Hådell, Honorary President of the European Federation of the Association of Dieticians, adds that: "It is essential that we halt the worrying decline in the number of Europeans regularly eating breakfast and this cannot be achieved without Europe’s public authorities playing a more active role in this area."

According to Jean-Claude Gonon, Secretary-General of the European Association of Teachers: "The objective of the Breakfast is Best campaign is clear: we want public policy makers to recognise the benefits of breakfast, and to make breakfast a key element of relevant government communication activities. The message ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ should be as well understood and acted upon as the advice to ‘eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.’"

More specifically, the campaign calls for policy makers to encourage more regular breakfast consumption by: including "eat breakfast every day" in public health campaigns; adding "eat breakfast every day" to nutrition advice tips; including the importance of a morning meal in school curricula; and encouraging employers to promote it to their employees.

The campaign is being backed by a coalition of organizations, all of whom have an interest in ensuring that European citizens enjoy the full benefits of breakfast.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Phelps’s diet is high in carbohydrates and fats - not the classic diet for an Olympic athlete, one would think – and breakfast plays a key role in meeting his nutrition needs. On a typical day, he consumes three fried egg sandwiches with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise; three chocolate chip pancakes; a five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast and a bowl of grits, all washed down with two cups of coffee.

However, Phelps is not the only sportsman to believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many other big names also kick off their day with a hearty breakfast.

Olympic cycling gold medallist, Kristin Armstrong, also starts her day with breakfast. For Kristin, and many other athletes, sometimes one morning meal is not enough; she often has a small breakfast before working out, followed by another immediately after.

The most common breakfast consumed by athletes is oatmeal. Many say that the slowly-digesting carbohydrates help to keep them active throughout the day. Sometimes, a little peanut butter or non-fat yoghurt can be added to boost the protein content.

New Zealand’s rugby team, the All Blacks, are consistently one of the world’s top teams, and nutrition plays a big part in what makes the team play like champions. The All Blacks’ diet gives them the energy they need, whilst avoiding too many foods high in saturated fats. A typical breakfast would feature fruit, cereal, yoghurt, fruit juice and a poached egg or two on toast - with grilled tomatoes on the side.

However, before you begin bulking up for Olympic glory, a word of warning. Experts say Phelps' diet is not recommended for the average person. Jeff Kotterman, director of the U.S. National Association of Sports Nutrition, explained to the BBC's Michael Hirst that Phelps’s diet is appropriate for him because, "it's a combination of peak performance coupled with the fact that he has an enormous metabolism - he burns more calories sitting at a desk than a lot of people burn walking."

So, although we shouldn’t all eat 10,000 calories a day, even the amateur sportsman or woman can benefit from breakfast - the meal of champions.