July 2, 2019
Previous research into the benefits of children eating breakfast has focused on educational and cognitive performance, and behavior. This single case study used qEEG in order to assess how different breakfast choices affect a 12-year-old female’s brainwave activity. The three breakfast conditions included no-breakfast, a high sugar/high carbohydrate breakfast, and a nutritionally balanced breakfast. The results show that skipping breakfast or eating a high sugar/high carbohydrate breakfast increased high beta activity in the brain, which is associated with anxiety and focus issues. These findings suggest that eating a nutritionally balanced breakfast may reduce anxiety and increased focus as compared to other breakfast options.
