The term "breakfast skippers" has become particularly popular among white-collar workers recently. As the name suggests, it refers to those who regularly skip breakfast. Cai Meiqin, a senior nutrition expert and a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, points out that the health of these people is hardly guaranteed.
"A person's breakfast should account for 30% of their daily energy intake, but currently, this figure is far from being met," said Professor Cai. "What's worse is that young people under 35 are the main force of 'breakfast skippers.' They often skip breakfast long-term, and even when they do eat, it's often just buying something like fried dough sticks or burgers on their way to work or school, treating breakfast very casually."
"In fact, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast or having an unbalanced one can affect the efficiency of study and work for the entire day. In severe cases, it can lead to hypoglycemic coma, anemia, and other issues," said Professor Cai. "It's also incorrect to casually have breakfast on the go. Not to mention that the food hygiene quality from street vendors cannot be guaranteed, office workers sitting on public transport easily get bacteria on their hands, and then directly grabbing food to eat into their stomachs, which can easily lead to gastrointestinal diseases." Professor Cai pointed out that women who are beauty-conscious should especially not refuse breakfast, as doing so can cause obesity. The nutrition and energy provided by breakfast form the foundation for the day's activities. The deficiency in energy and nutrients caused by skipping breakfast cannot be compensated for by lunch and dinner. Moreover, many people who skip breakfast unconsciously eat more at lunch, leading to nutritional surplus and an increased risk of obesity. Obesity can easily trigger heart disease and other illnesses. Professor Cai pointed out that it is unwise to eat fried foods like youtiao (fried dough sticks) for breakfast because they contain excessive saturated fat and salt, and are low in dietary fiber. She suggested eating some low-fat, low-salt, high-fiber grain-based foods for breakfast, supplemented with fruits, vegetables, milk, and a small amount of meat and eggs. "Grain-based foods, especially wheat, corn, and oats, are rich in dietary fiber. Regular consumption can promote gastrointestinal digestion, treat constipation, and prevent obesity and metabolic chronic diseases."