Eating a big breakfast meal may lead to weight gain

Eating a large breakfast may be contributing to the weight gain problem, German researchers explain.

Found in Nutrition Journal, German scientists explained that eating a large breakfast does not reduce overall daily calories as people still eat the same sized lunch and dinner meals.

Instead, a reduction of breakfast calories may be key to losing weight. Also, research has shown eating a balanced, healthy, moderate-sized breakfast can help lose weight.

For the study, scientists asked a group of less than 400 people to journal their eating habits, writing down each meal they ate and when.

The volunteers were asked to eat as they normally do, without making any changes to their routines. It was found that some ate a small breakfast, some ate larger breakfast meals, and some did not eat breakfast.

Those eating the biggest breakfast meals, 400 calories more than a small breakfast, averaged consumption levels of about 400 more calories per day.

The study shows people will usually eat the same meals later in the day, regardless of the size of breakfast.

Experts stress that breakfast is still an important meal, though. Those who skip breakfast have higher chances of being overweight than those who eat a moderate-sized, healthy breakfast.

Skipping breakfast usually leads to unhealthy snacking before lunchtime or a larger, sometimes unhealthy, lunch meal.