Your child never misses his lunch or dinner. But are you sure he/she is not skipping breakfast? Modern lifestyle has its pros and cons. Among the cons, ‘unhealthy eating habits’ is the most prominent. Here are some of the facts that might shock you:

• Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are leading causes of death in the U.S.

• Almost two-thirds (61%) of American adults are overweight or obese

• Child obesity statistics in the US show that Mississippi has the highest rate of obese and overweight children in the US.

Coming back to our subject of discussion, let us first find out what part of the US population badly needs breakfast. Eating breakfast is a habit. Like all other habits, it takes time to develop, and little or no time to forget. Adolescents and teens skip breakfast more than any other age group. Surprisingly, young girls skip breakfast more than boys.

Modern American Lifestyle leaves no time for people to have breakfast at home; most have to consume it away from home. Just having breakfast is not enough; one has to ensure that breakfast is nutrient-rich, and not a platter full of sugary, fatty food. By helping your child develop the habit of eating breakfast at home, you can make better choice of food that follows the dietary guidelines. After all, healthy breakfast means healthy children. While family dynamics have a little, but evident role in determining the food choice, it certainly should not stop you from giving your child breakfast food that is healthy.

There are some tips, which if followed, can facilitate a routine that has breakfast on its menu every day.

Educating Parents

It is a myth that only the more literate ones are aware of the importance of eating healthy. Research points out that even the most well-to-do families skip breakfast. Educators and health experts should spread the good word around. Schools can organize camps and debates to promote healthy breakfast.

Prepare in Advance

You can prepare breakfast the night before so that your child does not skip breakfast.

Tasty, yet Nutritious food

Children do not like eating food that does not look good. Here is the smart solution. Include items such as peanut butter on apple, berries put in low fat yoghurt, and oatmeal with pecans.

Family Dynamics for Healthy Breakfast

Parents should ensure they eat breakfast in front of their children. Involving children in breakfast choices as well as breakfast preparation can also help develop love for breakfast in your child. Using family dynamics to model healthful breakfast practices

School Breakfast Program

Encourage children to benefit from the school breakfast program. A small percentage of children (less than 50%) take advantage of the school breakfast program.

Read Labels

Parents should educate their children about food labels. Teach them how to read a label to find out of the food item is healthy or not.

Ready to Eat (RTE)

Contrary to popular belief, RTE cereal is inexpensive. Including Ready to Eat cereal in breakfast can help your child derive the most out of breakfast.

Alias for Breakfast

Think about the word ‘breakfast’, and you would perceive it as a ‘meal’. By changing the way we view breakfast, we can lay the foundation to a lifestyle of which breakfast is an important component.

With child obesity on the rise, healthy breakfast is a simple, yet powerful solution. Breakfast is the first meal of the day. Let us stick to that.