Washington, June 3 (IANS) A protein-rich breakfast, containing eggs, improves appetite control among adolescents and may also help obese adolescents manage weight, research says.
Researchers examined the impact of a protein-rich breakfast on adolescents who traditionally skipped breakfast.
When the study participants ate a protein-rich breakfast, the researchers observed that the teenagers were less hungry and ate approximately 130 fewer calories at lunch.
‘We observed that eating breakfast, regardless of composition, led to increased feelings of fullness (satiety),’ says Heather J. Leidy, assistant professor, University of Missouri, and study author.
‘However, when the adolescents ate a breakfast rich in protein, they also experienced a reduction in hunger, thus maximising the beneficial effects of protein,’ Leidy adds.
‘This study supports similar findings in adults that showed that when adults ate breakfast meals containing high-quality protein foods, including eggs and lean Canadian bacon, they had a greater feeling of satiety throughout the day compared to when protein was eaten at lunch or dinner,’ she adds.
Another study published in the Journal of Paediatrics demonstrated that severely obese adolescents who followed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet had significantly lower body mass index (BMI) after 13 weeks and were also able to maintain weight loss after six months versus those who followed a low-fat diet.
The obese adolescents who followed the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet also experienced greater fat mass loss and reductions in triglyceride levels, said a University of Missouri release.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.