Академия питания Ганы опровергла эффективность пропускания завтрака для похудения

Skipping breakfast should not be promoted as a guaranteed way to lose weight, the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (GAND) has said. The academy has called for a more balanced approach to weight loss, stressing that overall dietary patterns, lifestyle, health status and individual needs matter more than simply eliminating breakfast. Although some studies have found that people who skip breakfast may consume fewer calories and record small reductions in body weight, the academy says other research has found no meaningful difference in body weight, body fat or waist circumference between breakfast eaters and those who skip the meal. In a position statement, the GAND said the evidence also raised questions about the broader health implications of routinely missing breakfast, with some studies linking the practice to increased LDL cholesterol and, in observational research, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and mortality. The academy has, therefore, rejected the general advice that people seeking to lose weight should skip breakfast, saying dietary decisions should be based on an individual’s overall health, eating habits and weight-management goals. Evidence Research on breakfast and weight management has produced varying results. Some short-term intervention studies have associated breakfast skipping with lower calorie intake and modest weight reduction. However, reviews of randomised trials have found no significant differences in key measures of body weight between people assigned to eat breakfast and those assigned to skip it. The Academy said weight should not be the only measure used to assess the effect of skipping breakfast. While some studies have reported small reductions in weight among breakfast skippers, other evidence has associated the practice with increased LDL cholesterol. Observational studies have also found associations between habitual breakfast skipping and cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and mortality. Such findings do not prove that skipping breakfast causes these conditions, and warrant caution in promoting breakfast omission as a health strategy. Context The issue also has implications for children and adolescents, for whom breakfast can contribute significantly to daily energy and nutrient intake. In Ghana, skipping breakfast among some young people may be linked to limited food availability rather than a deliberate decision to control weight. The Academy said public nutrition messages should consequently consider people’s health needs as well as their social and economic circumstances. Individual matters The Academy said the decision to eat or skip breakfast should be considered alongside what a person eats during the rest of the day, appetite patterns, medication use, health status and weight-management objectives. It encouraged the public to seek guidance from registered dietitians and nutrition professionals when making significant dietary changes. The Academy said it did not support the general recommendation that “if you want to lose weight, you should skip breakfast.” It said current evidence did not show that skipping breakfast was necessary for successful weight loss, and added that effective weight management should focus on an individual’s overall diet, health and lifestyle.