Breakfast is often said to be the most important meal of the day. It is assumed that skipping breakfast can lead to increased hunger and, therefore, overeating or extra snacking throughout the day, causing weight gain. But according to a new report, skipping breakfast might not be that big of a deal. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a report saying opting out of breakfast has little or no impact on weight gain. The report also debunks the myth that people who eat breakfast consume more calories than those who don’t.

Dr. David B. Allison, director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and his colleagues poured over the medical literature on the subject. They found the connection between eating breakfast and weight gain was only supported by one trial back in 1992. Most findings were based on observational studies that found links with weight gain and breakfast, but no direct cause and effect.

Dr. Allison also said most reports on the relationship between breakfast and weight were misconstrued. Of 72 research articles that cited data from the National Weight Control Registry, about half overstated the findings. Fifty papers cited a study from Vanderbilt University, of which 62 percent cited the findings wrong by saying that eating breakfast prevents weight gain.

This report does clear up some confusion around the actual effects of breakfast with weight and is a step in the right direction for debunking rumors.  However, more specified research is needed to determine the real relationship between weight gain and breakfast.

NEXT: Cinnamon may benefit people with diabetes

Sourced from: nytimes.com, Myths Surround Breakfast and Weight

For once, something that smells and tastes delicious is also healthy. Cinnamon may help type 2 diabetes patients manage their sugars better.  A new study published in The Annals of Family Medicine found that patients who took cinnamon supplements had lower fasting plasma glucose levels compared to those who went without cinnamon.

Researchers reviewed data from 10 randomized trials involving 543 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients took daily cinnamon supplements in doses ranging from 120mg to 6g for four to 18 weeks. When all trial results were combined, the data showed cinnamon had a positive impact on both the patients’ glucose levels and cholesterol. The fasting glucose levels were lowered by 25 milligrams/deciliter, a better level than is sometimes achieved by traditional diabetes medications. Previous studies have traced the benefits of cinnamon back to cinnamaldehyde, which is believed to stimulate the release and effect of insulin.

However, other studies on the role of cinnamon in diabetes have mixed results, saying cinnamon has no effect on blood sugar. This new study isn’t clear on which type 2 diabetes patients would best benefit from taking cinnamon. The researchers also said they’re unsure of the proper dose and time length a patient should take cinnamon pills. More research is needed to flush out these details and create a stronger link between cinnamon and low blood sugars.

NEXT: First drunk driver: Sept. 10, 1897

Sourced from: livescience.com, Spicy Solution? Cinnamon May Help Diabetes Patients

Deciding when to wean a child off of breast milk is a serious and important decision. A new study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood reports commercial baby foods provide little nutritional value compared to mother’s milk. So mothers may want to breastfeed a bit longer.

Researchers at the University of Glasgow in the UK analyzed 462 baby foods by four UK manufacturers to examine the nutritional content. The foods included soft foods, wet foods, dry foods, breakfast cereals, snacks, and raisins. Seventy-nine percent were ready-made spoonable foods. Of these spoonable foods, the energy content was equal to breast milk, but the protein level was only 40 percent compared to breast milk. Dry finger foods had the highest levels of nutritional and energy value, but were also packed with sugar. The ready-made spoonable foods also had lower nutritional value than homemade foods, but were higher in iron.

The infant years are crucial for development, but it is ultimately up to the parents to decide when a child should be weaned off of breast milk. More baby foods should be analyzed for a more comprehensive view of overall baby food nutritional value.

NEXT: Eat your veggies

Sourced from: medicalnewstoday.com, Commercial baby foods fail to meet weaning needs