It's important you eat breakfast to set you up for the day
We're all aware that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day', yet there is still a huge number skipping it. But to what effect?
New research, commissioned by healthy breakfast brand MOMA!, reveals that Britain is a ‘hangry’ nation, with one in five people suffering from irritable behaviour strongly linked to hunger within an hour of waking, with this figure rising to 30% within two hours and affecting over half of Brits who skip breakfast by mid-morning.
Hangry Risk Factors
It’s no surprise that ‘hanger’ is sweeping the nation, as a shocking 25% of the population skip breakfast at least three times a week, with only 40% of the country making time for breakfast everyday.
In fact, Nutritional expert Miguel Toribio-Mateas, who worked with MOMA! on the nationwide research, has identified a number of ‘risk factors’ that affect our chances of becoming ‘hangry’.
(M-B) x (C + WS) = Hangry²
M = Morning, B = Breakfast, C = Commute, WS = Work Stress
He comments: “Scientific research shows that the timing of meals in Britain has shifted over time, with a greater proportion of food consumed later in the day. Missing breakfast has profound effects on metabolic and hormonal levels, not least because you’re “driving on empty”.
"Blood sugar levels can go dangerously low, which can leave you “feeling flat” and unable to concentrate. Combine this with work demands for more productivity and a workload the size of Windsor castle, and you’re likely to feel cranky. So you become ‘Hangry’ - hungry and angry rolled into one.”
Hangry Workforces
With commuting on an empty stomach and stresses and pressures of work accelerating the risk of becoming ‘hangry’, the new research also identifies the workers most prone to an attack.
Top of the class come PE Teachers, nine out of ten of whom admit to ‘hangry’ outbursts, closely following by scientists, 80% of whom become ‘hangry’ when they skip breakfast.
Top 5 ‘Hangriest’ Workers:
- PE Teachers
- Scientists
- Telephone Engineers
- Farmers
- Doctors
The UK’s Hangry Hotspots
Interestingly there are also huge variations in the rate of ‘hangry’ behaviour across the country. Bristolians are by far the biggest sufferers, which is perhaps unsurprising given that one in ten people from the city NEVER eat breakfast. In contrast, it looks good up North, as people living in Edinburgh and Glasgow are relatively hanger-free.
Top 5 City Sufferers
- Bristol
- London
- Birmingham
- Leeds
- Belfast
Britain’s Bad Breakfast Habits
Even when we do decide to put the time aside for breakfast, Britains eating habits leave a lot to be desired. A third of the population indulge in a fatty fried breakfast more than once every week and 20% grab a pastry or biscuit as a speedy brekky option each week, sending blood sugar levels soaring...and what goes up must come down.
Furthermore, being ‘hangry’ also affects your choice of foods consumed later that morning, making you more prone to snack on unhealthy foods. In fact, one in five people admit to trying to suppress ‘hangry’ feelings with chocolate, crisps and caffeine.
Tagged in Health Diet Healthy eating breakfast