We have often heard it said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet 35-40 percent of all Americans skip breakfast. Many parents allow their children to leave for school without breakfast. As many as 48 percent of girls and 32 percent of boys do not eat breakfast every day. The first meal of the day is called breakfast because it breaks the fast that has lasted ten to twelve hours, since the last meal eaten the day before, usually dinner. The body uses glucose or blood sugar for energy.
Excess glucose is stored by the liver as glycogen which can be released as it is needed.
By mid-morning, glycogen stores are virtually depleted, if one skips breakfast. As a result, the body has very little quick energy available. Children who skip breakfast will lack adequate glycogen stores, may be hungry, and lack the ability to concentrate in school. They may be tired, lethargic, and lack fuel for learning. Children who do not eat breakfast often do not make up the missed nutrients in meals eaten later in the day.