Belief beyond the evidence: using the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity to show 2 practices that distort scientific evidence

Brown, Andrew W.; Brown, Michelle M Bohan; Allison, David B.

doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.064410

Cited by 141 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…In contrast, studies of school breakfast programmes in nutritionally at-risk populations have found more consistently positive effects of breakfast provision on educational and cognitive test outcomes, it is suggested in part due to increased school attendance that providing breakfast encourages (5) . This discrepancy between evidence and belief in the importance of breakfast for educational performance is very similar to Brown et al's (7) conclusion for the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity. As they demonstrate very nicely, an association between missing breakfast and higher risk of obesity is well established, while the evidence from the relatively few relevant intervention studies does not clearly confirm or refute a causal effect.…”

Section: Breakfast: How Important Is It Really?contrasting

confidence: 33%

Breakfast: how important is it really?

Rogers¹

2016

Public Health Nutr.

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Section: Breakfast: How Important Is It Really?contrasting

confidence: 33%

Breakfast: how important is it really?

Rogers¹

2016

Public Health Nutr.

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“…6 Contenders for a mechanism include differences in food intakes4,7 and/or energy expenditure (EE).8 However, there is now evidence that eating breakfast may actually increase energy intakes,9 as also reported by the participants from this study who ate 671 ± 1808 kJ/day more when eating breakfast compared with not eating breakfast.10 This makes the difference in BMI even more unexpected and emphasises the need to investigate other potential mechanisms. Skipping breakfast has been shown to elevate blood glucose levels and alter metabolism including the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the thermic effect of food (TEF) of people with a range of BMIs,11 and this could also have a role in establishing metabolic differences between breakfast eaters and breakfast skippers as both contribute to EE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

A cross-over experiment to investigate possible mechanisms for lower BMIs in people who habitually eat breakfast

et al. 2015

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S Reeves1, JW Huber2,4, LG Halsey1, M Villegas-Montes1, J Elgumati1 and T Smith3,5 BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The body mass index (BMI) of breakfast eaters is frequently reported to be lower compared with that of breakfast skippers. This is not explained by differences in energy intakes, indicating there may be other mechanisms serving to drive this paradoxical association between breakfast and BMI. This study aimed to investigate the effect of eating breakfast versus morning fasting on measures predominantly of metabolism in lean and overweight participants who habitually eat or skip breakfast. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Participants (n=37) were recruited into four groups on the basis of BMI (lean and overweight) and breakfast habit (breakfast eater and breakfast skipper). Participants were randomly assigned to a breakfast experimental condition, breakfast eating or no breakfast, for 7 days and then completed the alternative condition. At the end of each breakfast experimental condition, measurements were made before and after a high carbohydrate breakfast of 2274 ± 777 kJ or a rest period. Resting metabolic rate, thermic effect of food (TEF), blood glucose, insulin and leptin levels were recorded. Hunger and 'morningness' were assessed and pedometers worn. RESULTS: Lean participants had lower fasting insulin levels (P = 0.045) and higher insulin concentrations following breakfast (P = 0.001). BMI and breakfast habit did not interact with the experimental breakfast condition, with the exception of hunger ratings; breakfast eaters were hungrier in the mornings compared with breakfast skippers in the no breakfast condition (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is little evidence from this study for a metabolic-based mechanism to explain lower BMIs in breakfast eaters.

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“…Therefore, it is difficult to determine whether improved weight control is mediated through breakfast consumption per se, or whether this may be the result of other lifestyle factors. A recent study also found that presumptions and beliefs about the importance of breakfast on health may predispose studies to biased reporting, further confounding the matter (19) . This demonstrates a need for causal data from breakfast intervention trials, and a number of studies have recently been performed, helping to elucidate causal links between breakfast and energy balance.…”

Section: Breakfast Skipping: Satiety: Gut Hormonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of breakfast on appetite regulation, energy balance and exercise performance

Clayton

James

2015

Proc. Nutr. Soc.

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The belief that breakfast is the most important meal of day has been derived from cross-sectional studies that have associated breakfast consumption with a lower BMI. This suggests that breakfast omission either leads to an increase in energy intake or a reduction in energy expenditure over the remainder of the day, resulting in a state of positive energy balance. However, observational studies do not imply causality. A number of intervention studies have been conducted, enabling more precise determination of breakfast manipulation on indices of energy balance. This review will examine the results from these studies in adults, attempting to identify causal links between breakfast and energy balance, as well as determining whether consumption of breakfast influences exercise performance. Despite the associations in the literature, intervention studies have generally found a reduction in total daily energy intake when breakfast is omitted from the daily meal pattern. Moreover, whilst consumption of breakfast supresses appetite during the morning, this effect appears to be transient as the first meal consumed after breakfast seems to offset appetite to a similar extent, independent of breakfast. Whether breakfast affects energy expenditure is less clear. Whilst breakfast does not seem to affect basal metabolism, breakfast omission may reduce free-living physical activity and endurance exercise performance throughout the day. In conclusion, the available research suggests breakfast omission may influence energy expenditure more strongly than energy intake. Longer term intervention studies are required to confirm this relationship, and determine the impact of these variables on weight management. Breakfast skipping: Satiety: Gut hormonesOverweight and obesity are defined as a BMI of 25-29·9 and >30 kg/m 2 , respectively, and are positively associated with several chronic diseases, representing a substantial health and economic burden on society (1,2) . Obesity is a growing concern with the worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubling between 1980 and 2008 (3) . It has also been shown that BMI increases continuously throughout adulthood (4) suggesting that longterm behavioural changes are required to curtail this pattern of weight gain. This necessitates the study of both lean and overweight populations, to ensure that dietary interventions are applicable for both reducing BMI in overweight and obese populations, and preventing the increase of BMI in lean populations.Breakfast can be defined as the first meal of the day, consumed within 2 h of waking, before commencing daily activities, and has been suggested to contain 20-35 % of daily estimated energy requirements (5) . Breakfast has long been considered an integral part of a healthy balanced diet (6) . This is partly due to associations in the literature that show individuals who regularly omit breakfast have a higher BMI (7,8) and increased prevalence of obesity-related chronic diseases (5) , including type-2 diabetes (9) and CHD (10) . Despite this, brea...

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Belief beyond the evidence: using the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity to show 2 practices that distort scientific evidence

Abstract: The belief in the PEBO exceeds the strength of scientific evidence. The scientific record is distorted by RLPV and BRR. RLPV is a suboptimal use of collective scientific resources.

Cited by 141 publications

References 45 publications

Breakfast: how important is it really?

Breakfast: how important is it really?

A cross-over experiment to investigate possible mechanisms for lower BMIs in people who habitually eat breakfast

The effect of breakfast on appetite regulation, energy balance and exercise performance

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