Does eating breakfast increase students' motivation and help them do better in class?

Does eating breakfast help students?

A new study in the Journal of School Psychology released June 2024 seeks to answer this important question. Authors wondered if eating breakfast would increase the 648 Australian high school students' motivation and achievement in class. They also looked at the role of breakfast quality to see its impact on students' educational achievement on a science test.

Breakfast quality was defined as "how healthy" the breakfast was based on how much it aligned with national dietary guidelines.

A few key findings in the study were:

• Breakfast consumption predicted higher student motivation

• Student motivation predicted achievement on a science test

• Eating a high quality breakfast was associated with the highest motivation and highest achievement on the science test

Researchers concluded that consuming breakfast has the potential to have positive implications for students' academic outcomes.

Implications for Teachers and Schools:

1. Encourage students to participate in school breakfast programs

2. Educate students and parents about the importance of a well-balanced breakfast highlighting the importance of breakfast for concentration, energy, mood and academic achievement

3. Create a positive and encouraging breakfast environment by highlighting students' success

Reference:

Martin, A., Bostwick, K., Burns, E., et al. A healthy breakfast each and every day is important for students' motivation and achievement, Journal of School Psychology, 2024;104:101298.